The Millau Viaduct Explained

The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge across the Tarn gorge valley in Southern France. Completed in 2004.

Engineer Michel Virlogeux and architect Norman Foster led the design team.

The high solution choice was officially decided then.

Construction cost three hundred ninety four million euros. Builder Eiffage financed it for a toll concession until two thousand eighty.

Workers built the road deck on plateaus at both ends. They pushed each half onto the pylons using launching techniques.

Each pylon sits on four concrete pilings. Every piling is 15 metres deep and 5 metres in diameter.

Sliding shuttering let each pylon rise 4 metres every three days.

It was inaugurated on 14 December 2004. Traffic started two days later.