Pont du Général-de-la-Motte-Rouge, Steel bridge in Nantes, France.
Pont du Général-de-la-Motte-Rouge is a pale green steel arch bridge over the Erdre, 80 metres in span and 12 metres wide, with a rise of 7.30 metres. Its shallow arched top chord sits above a deck carried on vertical and diagonal lattice bracing, and square open-work metal towers stand at each end. The keystone bears the coat of arms of Nantes above a cartouche inscribed "1885".
Engineer Jean Résal designed and built this bridge in 1885, replacing an older wooden crossing that had been used for centuries. This shift from wood to steel marked a modern upgrade in the city's infrastructure.
The bridge was first called pont de Barbin, after the right-bank district now known as Saint-Félix. On 25 June 1891 it was renamed for General Joseph Édouard de La Motte-Rouge (1804–1883), who from the 1870 war commanded the 15th army corps at Nantes for twelve years.
This bridge is open to foot traffic and vehicles, making it a direct route between the two neighborhoods it connects. Walking across offers views of the river and the surrounding area below.
The keystone of the bridge displays the coat of arms of Nantes from 1885, a detail many visitors walk past without noticing. This small carving preserves a piece of the city's identity in an unexpected location.
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