Old bridge of Poissy, Bridge ruins in Poissy, France
The old bridge of Poissy is a stone arch bridge crossing the Seine between Poissy and Carrières-sous-Poissy, France. Today only six arches remain visible, standing about 330 meters downstream from the newer bridge and 570 meters upstream from the Migneaux island bridge.
The bridge's origins are uncertain, with some historians placing its first construction as early as the Carolingian period and others attributing a rebuilding to Saint Louis. It was damaged and repaired many times before being destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War.
The bridge area was once busy with fishing, milling and small port activity, and its arches were used by people doing laundry at the water's edge. Painters such as Monet and Cézanne came here for the light on the Seine and the simple life along the banks.
You can reach the remaining arches on foot from the riverbank paths in Poissy. A walk along the shore gives clear views of the stonework, and the site is easy to visit in any season.
In the 1600s the bridge had a small drawbridge, which was unusual for the time and helped control who could cross. At one point it counted as many as thirty-seven arches, making it one of the longest bridges in the region.
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