Pont de la Pyle, Concrete bridge in Coyron, France
The Pont de la Pyle is a concrete bridge spanning Lake Vouglans with three reinforced pillars supporting its 385-meter length. The structure rises 65 meters above the water and connects La Tour-du-Meix to Coyron along departmental road 470.
Designed by architect Jean Courbon and completed in 1968, this bridge replaced earlier structures including a Roman stone crossing and an iron bridge. The modern replacement provided reliable passage across the artificial Ain River reservoir.
The name comes from the cluse de la Pyle, the gorge the Ain cut through the mountain before the reservoir filled; Pyle derives from Greek Pulè or Latin Pylae, meaning gates or a pass. The old passage carried salt from Lons-le-Saunier and Salins-les-Bains and later pilgrims toward the abbey of Condat.
The bridge is open to vehicle traffic daily and offers a direct route across the lake. Drivers should exercise caution during wet or stormy weather, as the height and water views can initially be surprising.
The H-shaped pillars were engineered to resist condensation and frost using an innovative sliding formwork method. This technical approach was essential for the structure's durability in the local climate conditions.
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