Noirmoutier Bridge

The Noirmoutier Bridge (French: Pont de Noirmoutier) is a bridge located on the west coast of France in the department of Vendée, built in the early 1970s to connect the island of Noirmoutier to the mainland. Before it opened, a maritime shuttle service ran between the La Fosse pier on the island and Fromentine pier on the mainland.

Noirmoutier Bridge

Pont de Noirmoutier
The Noirmoutier Bridge seen from the Fromentine ferry terminal (Noirmoutier is on the right).
Coordinates46°53′30″N 02°08′59″W / 46.89167°N 2.14972°W / 46.89167; -2.14972
CarriesMotor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles
CrossesStrait of Fromentine, Bay of Biscay
LocaleVendée, Pays de la Loire
BeginsLa Barre-de-Monts (mainland)
EndsBarbâtre (island)
OwnerVendée Departmental Council [fr]
Characteristics
DesignBox girder bridge
MaterialPrestressed concrete
Trough constructionHollow-core slab
Total length583 metres (638 yd)
Width13.5 metres (14.8 yd)
Clearance aboveopen
No. of lanes2
History
Constructed byDumez and Sacer (structural work), Freyssinet International [fr] (prestressing), Bureau Veritas (testing)
Construction start1969
Construction end1971
Opened7 July 1971 (1971-07-07)
Inaugurated7 July 1971 (1971-07-07)
Replacesferry service
Statistics
Tollremoved 1 July 1994
Location
Map