Bordeaux is famous around the world for its vineyards, art galleries and lavish residences.
While many tourists don’t immediately associate bridges with the French city, Bordeaux is also home to a technological marvel – the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas.
A little over a decade old, this infrastructure crossing the Garonne river is the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe.
The structure is 575m long and 79m tall. However, when the central section lifts to allow ships to safely sail through the waterway, the bridge has a 110m clearance.
While the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas is a sight to behold when lifted, massive ships only cross this section of the Garonne a few dozen times a year, making seeing the lift in action a rare occasion.
While the bridge takes 11 minutes to fully lift or lower into place, the passage of big ships normally blocks the traffic for up to 90 minutes.
The drawbridge sections count two pylons on each side, which are also used to indicate low tide – in green – and high tide – in blue.
At night, the bridge lights up, becoming a modern feature in the skyline of Bordeaux.
Designed by Egis-JMI, Lavigne & Chevron architects and Hardesty & Hanover, the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas reportedly cost around £154million.
The bridge is named after a Gaullist politician, Jacques Chaban-Delmas, who served for decades as Mayor of Bordeaux and was France’s Prime Minister between 1969 and 1972.
It was officially launched in March 2013 by the then-French President François Hollande and Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppé.
The Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas is the fifth bridge to cross the Garonne.
Another notable bridge is the Pont de pierre, starkly different from Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas with its stone structure dating back to the early 19th century.
The 1,598-foot-long Pont de pierre constitutes the legal frontier between the maritime and river domain in the port of Bordeaux.
The Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas is the fifth bridge to cross the Garonne.
Another notable bridge is the Pont de pierre, starkly different from Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas with its stone structure dating back to the early 19th century.
The 1,598-foot-long Pont de pierre constitutes the legal frontier between the maritime and river domain in the port of Bordeaux.
