Souleuvre Viaduct
Encyclopedia
Viaduc de la Souleuvre is a well-known permanent bungee jumping
facility in La Ferrière-Harang
, Normandy, France.
based on stone pillars over the Souleuvre River, built during the 19th century by the famous French engineer Gustave Eiffel
for the Caen
to Saint-Lô
and Vire
line. It was opened on November 12, 1893. The total length of the viaduct was 364.20 m (1,200 ft), with a maximum height of 62.50 m (210 ft) and was set on 5 stone pillars. The height of these pillars varies between 26 and 60 m, their base is 18m by 8m and their top 7m by 4m. They were built from granite
blocks from the Vire region quarries
, each of a weight of 350 kg, for a total of 14000 m³ and with mortar sand coming from the Chausey Islands
.
Before World War II
, about fifteen trains a day crossed the viaduct. It was used by the Germans during the War. The Allies tried to destroy the viaduct in 1944, but only managed to partially damage it. More than 500 bomb
s were dropped around it without hitting it. In August 1944, the viaduct was repaired by the Americans.
When the rail line closed in 1960 the viaduct went into disrepair. Despite large local preservationist
opinion campaigns, the railway platform was dynamite
d in 1970. Only the five huge stone pillars remained.
In 1990, a permanent platform for bungee jumping
was established by A. J. Hackett atop the highest pillar. A light gangway was established where the railway platform used to be, allowing access to the platform from the side of the bridge. The viaduct offers a wonderful jumping experience amid a spectacular Normandy landscape.
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
facility in La Ferrière-Harang
La Ferrière-Harang
-References:*...
, Normandy, France.
History
The Viaduc de la Souleuvre was originally an impressive metallic railway viaductViaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
based on stone pillars over the Souleuvre River, built during the 19th century by the famous French engineer Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures...
for the Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
to Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
and Vire
Vire
Vire is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.- History :In 1123, Henri I Beauclerc, King of England and Duke of Normandy, had a redoubt constructed on a rocky hill top, which was surrounded by the Vire river...
line. It was opened on November 12, 1893. The total length of the viaduct was 364.20 m (1,200 ft), with a maximum height of 62.50 m (210 ft) and was set on 5 stone pillars. The height of these pillars varies between 26 and 60 m, their base is 18m by 8m and their top 7m by 4m. They were built from granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
blocks from the Vire region quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
, each of a weight of 350 kg, for a total of 14000 m³ and with mortar sand coming from the Chausey Islands
Chausey
Chausey is a group of small islands, islets and rocks off the coast of Normandy, in the English Channel. It lies from Granville, and forms a quartier of the Granville commune, in the Manche département...
.
Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, about fifteen trains a day crossed the viaduct. It was used by the Germans during the War. The Allies tried to destroy the viaduct in 1944, but only managed to partially damage it. More than 500 bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s were dropped around it without hitting it. In August 1944, the viaduct was repaired by the Americans.
When the rail line closed in 1960 the viaduct went into disrepair. Despite large local preservationist
Preservationist
Preservationist is generally understood to mean historic preservationist: one who advocates to preserve architecturally or historically significant buildings, structures, objects or sites from demolition or degradation...
opinion campaigns, the railway platform was dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
d in 1970. Only the five huge stone pillars remained.
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
was established by A. J. Hackett atop the highest pillar. A light gangway was established where the railway platform used to be, allowing access to the platform from the side of the bridge. The viaduct offers a wonderful jumping experience amid a spectacular Normandy landscape.