Viaduc ferroviaire de Cosne-sur-Loire, Railway bridge in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, France
The Viaduc ferroviaire de Cosne-sur-Loire is a steel railway bridge spanning 828 meters across the Loire River and connecting Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire with Bannay. Fourteen spans of 58 meters each rest on thirteen masonry pillars and are held together by approximately one million rivets.
The bridge was built by the Paris-Orleans Railway Company, and the first steam train crossed it on December 18, 1893. This marked the start of regular rail service between Bourges and Toul, connecting the region to the broader railway network.
Locals call this structure the Viaduc de Port-Aubry, named after the port area it once served. The bridge remains a landmark in the region's identity and reflects the industrial pride of an earlier era.
Visit on clear days to enjoy the best views of the river and surrounding landscape. Access is easy on foot or by bike, with several viewpoints available along nearby paths and trails.
Since 2000, the former grain transport route has been converted into a cycling path where visitors ride special pedal-powered rail bikes. This allows travelers to cross the Loire from this structure in a completely different way than the original train service intended.
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