Viaduc d'Auteuil, Historic bridge in France
The Viaduc d'Auteuil was a metal railway bridge that ran through western Paris, providing an important link between several neighborhoods. The structure crossed the Auteuil racecourse with tall steel pillars and lattice beams that carried trains above the grounds.
The bridge was built between 1904 and 1913 as part of the Petite Ceinture railway, which facilitated freight and passenger transport around Paris. It was demolished in 1985 after train traffic on this line declined sharply in the 1930s.
The name recalls the former village of Auteuil, now a prosperous Paris neighborhood. During its decades of service, the viaduct carried residents and visitors to the horse races and parks in the western part of the city.
The viaduct no longer exists and cannot be visited, but some photographs and archive documents are available in Paris municipal libraries. Those interested in similar railway structures can explore other remaining sections of the Petite Ceinture around Paris.
The steel framework stood tall enough that racehorses and spectators below remained nearly undisturbed while trains passed overhead. After demolition, large portions of the metal were recycled and reused for new construction projects in the region.
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