Langlois Bridge, Wooden drawbridge near Arles, France
The Langlois Bridge is a steel drawbridge over the canal linking Arles to Port-de-Bouc in southern France. A double-beam lifting frame sits above the roadway, allowing boat traffic to pass while cars and pedestrians cross on the deck below.
The first bridge on this canal was built in the early 1800s as one of eleven similar structures along the waterway. After it was destroyed during World War II, a faithful reconstruction was put up at a new location a short distance downstream.
Vincent van Gogh painted this bridge several times in 1888, drawing inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints in his use of flat color and strong outlines. Visitors standing on the canal bank can line up almost the same view that appears in those paintings.
The bridge is open to both vehicles and pedestrians, and the canal bank offers a comfortable spot to take in the full view of the structure. Morning light tends to fall across the water at a low angle, making it a good time to visit if you want to see the setting at its clearest.
The current bridge does not stand where the original one did: it was rebuilt a few kilometers downstream from the historic site so that visitors could still see the right silhouette. Van Gogh's paintings served as one of the key references for the shape of the wooden railings and the proportions of the lifting frame.
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