| Souleuvre Viaduct | |
|---|---|
Le viaduc de la Souleuvre |
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| Official name | Le viaduc de la Souleuvre |
| Carries | Caen to Saint-Lô and Vire line |
| Locale | La Ferrière-Harang, Normandy, France |
| Designer | Gustave Eiffel |
| Material | metallic |
| Construction end | November 12, 1893 |
| Closed | 1960 |
Viaduc de la Souleuvre is a well-known permanent bungee jumping facility in La Ferrière-Harang, Normandy, France.
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The Viaduc de la Souleuvre was originally an impressive metallic railway viaduct based on stone pillars over the Souleuvre River, built during the 19th century by the famous French engineer Gustave Eiffel for the Caen to Saint-Lô and Vire line. It was opened on November 12, 1893. The total length of the viaduct was 364.20 m (1,200 ft), with a maximum height of 62.50 m (210 ft) and was set on 5 stone pillars. The height of these pillars varies between 26 and 60 m, their base is 18m by 8m and their top 7m by 4m. They were built from granite blocks from the Vire region quarries, each of a weight of 350 kg, for a total of 14000 m³ and with mortar sand coming from the Chausey Islands.
Before World War II, about fifteen trains a day crossed the viaduct. It was used by the Germans during the War. The Allies tried to destroy the viaduct in 1944, but only managed to partially damage it. More than 500 bombs were dropped around it without hitting it. In August 1944, the viaduct was repaired by the Americans.
When the rail line closed in 1960 the viaduct went into disrepair. Despite large local preservationist opinion campaigns, the railway platform was dynamited in 1970. Only the five huge stone pillars remained.
In 1990, a permanent platform for bungee jumping was established by A. J. Hackett atop the highest pillar. A light gangway was established where the railway platform used to be, allowing access to the platform from the side of the bridge. The viaduct offers a wonderful jumping experience amid a spectacular Normandy landscape.