Chez nous, viaducts are the Eiffel Tower’s big brothers !
From Gannat, take the direction towards Mazerier and then take the road D35 to arrive to Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort. On the way you will be able to cross two viaducts : Neuvial viaduc and the Rouzat viaduc, called the Eiffel viaducs. The constructive system developed by Pierre-Felix Moreaux is innovative : a wire mesh resting on two masonry abutments with multiple arches and several metallic piers. The recently created enterprise of Gustave Eiffel was in charge of the construction of its two railway viaducts. They are registered as Historical Monuments since 1965.
Other viaducts are present in the Val de Sioule : the Bouble, Bélon, and Perrière viaducts.
In 1863, the Paris-Orleans Company obtained the concession of the Commentry-Gannat line, representing 52km requiring 1133 meters of tunnel and 7 viaducts. 5 viaducts were then built by Nordling, chief engineer of the company, over the Sioule river. The viaducts were achieved in 1869. However, the completion of the line was delayed due to the war of 1870; it finally opened in 1871.
