Wood bridge, Wooden bridge in Drôme, France

Pont en bois is a bridge in Drôme that spans approximately 100 meters with a structure built from timber beams and supporting posts. The construction uses traditional craftsmanship methods that leave the wood visible, clearly displaying how the framework holds the span across.

Built in 1996, the bridge replaced a Bailey-type metal bridge erected in 1978. Crest chose timber in line with the French law on air and rational energy use, since wood stores carbon dioxide. The project cost 1.5 million euros, a third more than a concrete bridge, and received the Territoria prize in 2001; a stamp followed in 2011.

The bridge is a road bridge carrying two lanes and limited to vehicles of 3.5 tonnes. Its oak and Douglas fir deck rests on four glued-laminated beams, and the choice of wood was meant to store carbon dioxide. A French postage stamp featuring the bridge was issued in 2011.

The bridge is accessible via the D93 road, with parking near the northern side. It can be visited throughout the year and is easy to locate.

In 2011, France issued a postage stamp featuring this bridge, and in 2001 it received the Territoria prize from the national observatory of public innovation. The deck rests on four glued-laminated timber beams, a technique that lets the oak and Douglas fir span the Drôme without intermediate supports.