Meudon Viaduct

The Meudon Viaduct, originally known as the Val-Fleury Viaduct and also called Hélène Bridge, is located in the town of Meudon in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France.

Constructed as part of the railway line connecting Paris-Montparnasse to Versailles-Chantiers station, the viaduct spans the valley of the Ru d'Arthelon, separating the hills of Meudon from those of Clamart. One of its arches accommodates the Invalides–Versailles-Rive-Gauche line, which opened in this section in the early 1900s and extends south toward Meudon-Val-Fleury station and beyond to Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche station.

This stone or masonry bridge stretches in length and features seven spans. As of 2010, it holds the distinction of being the oldest railway viaduct still in operation in France.

History

19th century

After extensive studies, a design by the Polonceau-Seguin group was selected, with as the engineer, Marc Seguin and his brothers as architects, and Payen as the inspector.

The ambitious project aimed to overcome the natural barrier of the valley with a grand viaduct. The foundation stone was laid on October 1, 1838, by the Duke of Orléans. On September 9, 1840, the railway structure was inaugurated by Louis Philippe I, King of the French—though he reportedly did not enjoy train travel. The viaduct was later named Hélène Bridge in honor of Hélène de Mecklembourg-Schwerin, Duchess of Orléans and wife of the heir, Ferdinand-Philippe d'Orléans. Despite local opposition in Meudon, construction was completed by September 1840, and commercial operations began on November 10, 1840.

In ''Voyage pittoresque sur le chemin de fer de Paris à Versailles'', the viaduct is described as follows:

Special attention was paid to the viaduct's foundations, which xtend between underground to reach the chalk layer, significantly increasing the project's cost.

The arrival of the railway transformed Meudon. Bellevue, a residential area developed around 1824, expanded rapidly. The railway's route was partly designed to serve this emerging district, making it easier for Parisians—who already appreciated the village's charm—to visit on Sundays or settle there. Just a few hundred meters from the viaduct, the Meudon rail disaster occurred on May 8, 1842.

20th century

Nearly a century later, in 1936, the viaduct underwent significant modernization during the doubling oef the railway tracks. Its silhouette was subtly altered with reinforcements to the abutments and piers, and a cantilever deck was added to accommodate the expansion.

21st century

At the request of Meudon’s municipality, which sought to highlight its heritage, the ''Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine'' illuminated the Hélène Bridge to enhance its visibility and prominence.

Gallery

File:Pt1meu.jpg,
File:Viaduc-de-Meudon.jpg,
File:Viaduc-de-Meudon-début XX.jpg,
File:Viaduc de Meudon-1935.jpg, Modifications under the Marquet Plan in 1935.
File:CLC 1 - VAL-FLEURY - Panorama du Val.jpg, View of the viaduct from the Invalides–Versailles-Rive-Gauche line in the early 20th century.

See also

* Meudon
* Hauts-de-Seine

References

Bibliography

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External links

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{{Portal, Rail transport, Transport, France, Architecture, Engineering

Buildings and structures in Hauts-de-Seine
19th-century architecture in France
Bridges completed in 1840
History of Île-de-France