The French have just opened this bridge - the tallest in the world and by golly, it’s a good 'un!". They had to get an Englishman to design it though!
Here are some pictures:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4095037.stm
I have to say I’m impressed with the cheese-eaters.
Spotted that on the Beeb yesterday. Looks very impressive rising out of the Mist. My first thought, though, was that i’d be anxious if I were on it. Fear of it collapsing or something. Quite a feat of engineering!
Gorgeous.
They may be cheese-eating surrender monkeys, but they have excellent taste in bridges.
They did mention on the news that Chirac gave it up large for the French engineers (with much justification) but neglected to mention the very British Norman Foster…
It’s bloody amazing though.
Typical. Chirac is such a fucking jerk.
I saw a view from the bridge on TV a while ago and it is so freaking high, I don’t know if I’d actually want to drive across it. Looks awesome, though.
My father lives in Nice, so next time I’m there I’ll try and check this thing out.
My wife and I are bridge fanatics - and are looking for a large Print of this particular beauty…if anyone knows of one for sale, please share!
On a different note, have the French always been so gloriously proud of their landmarks?
Don’t know which report that was, but the one I saw showed Chirac chatting away happily with Sir Norman.
Also of note is the Garabit Viaduct, designed by Gustave Eiffel (before the tower), and for many years the highest bridge in the world.
And Sir Norman Foster seems to be getting some plum commisions around Europe, he also designed the Millenium Bridge in London and the dome atop the Reichstag in Berlin.
As for the new bridge; as an engineering exercise, it’s jaw-dropping, but aesthetically it doesn’t really do anything for me, yet. (I’d still like to see it in person.) I think cable-stayed bridges are too angular by nature, and there should be some sort of curve built into the supporting structure for contrast. (The new Zakim Bridge in Boston is a particular offender in this regard.)
Hmm, it was Sky News (a la Fox affiliate) referring speficially to the speech he gave at the ceremony, so I probably should have taken it with a pinch of salt.
When it says it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, I presume they mean to the top of the pillars. AFAIK, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres tall, so what is the actual height of the road above the lowest point of the valley?
I, too, want a large print of that thing to go up on my wall. That’s just beautiful.
I wonder how long before any bungees off of it 
Nevermind, try this.
The New River Gorge bridge in West Virginia, is about 1 foot shorter (at road surface) than the new bridge.
It’s still a pretty cool bridge, if anyone is ever out that way. The new one is beautiful, but I’d sure worry about fog on that thing. Where, exactly, is it in France? I once drove with a friend from Geneva to Nice and we went via the Napoleon Road. I assume it’s in that vicinity somehwhere.
I looked at this, and also looked up the height of Golden Gate Bridge which came out as 230m.
Then I realized the 230m is the height to the top of the tower. The road surface of the Millau Viaduct is 40 meters higher up than the top of the Golden Gate Bridge towers. :eek:
I dunno, viaduct?
You try to cross over there a chicken, and you’ll find out why a duck.
God, what a gorgeous and at the same time terrifying structure! My fear of heights would keep me from getting anywhere near it, but I can’t look away.
Jesus.