The 2460 meters long bridge is a stunning architectural and design feat.
And it is beautiful to look at as well.
But rather than choose a mundane design that simply did the job, the French went big.
In late 2001, the first stone was laid.
By spring 2002, the first piers of the Millau Viaduct were rising skywards.
At the same time, the anchorage points of the deck (the abutments) were appearing.
A few weeks were all it took to carry out the earthworks.
Twelve months after the work began, the pier “P2” went higher than 328 feet.
Seventeen others followed suit, at an average rate of one rolling out every four weeks.
The rest of the bridge’s construction went swiftly.
By the end of September 2004, the deck’s surface was laid.
And on December 16, 2004, the first traffic crossed the Millau Viaduct.
