Viaduct of Millau

The viaduct of Millau is a highway bridge with stay spanning the valley of the Tarn, in the Département of Aveyron, in France. It ensures the continuity of the highways A75 and A71 between Paris and Béziers.

This work, completed in 2004, holds three world records: the pile, the arrow and the road apron highest of the world.

Records of the work

The work holds three world records:

the highest pile of the world: the piles P2 and P3, with respective heights of 244,96 and 221,05 meters, exceed the old record of France held by the viaducts of Tulle and Verrières (141 m) and the world records held previously by the viaduct of Kochertal (Germany) which culminated with 181 meters.
the highest arrow of the world: the top of the pylon overhanging the P2 pile culminates to 343 Mr.
the road apron highest of the world, with 270 m at its point highest compared to the ground. Only the apron of the Royal highest Gorges Bridge (321 m) in the state with the Colorado to the the United States of America, regarded as the bridge of the world, exceeds it, but it is about a footbridge crossing the Arkansas.

A showpiece of a75 highway

North-South axes

In 2007, there exist four North-South routes to cross the France:

In the east, the axis Paris - Lyon - Valley of the Rhone with the A6 and the A7
In the west, the axis Paris - Bordeaux - Agen - Toulouse with the A10 and the A62.
In the center, by the west of the Massif Central, the axis Vierzon - Limoges - Brive - Toulouse with the A20
In the center, by the center of the Massif Central and the viaduct of Millau, the axis Clermont-Ferrand - Béziers with the highway A75.

A75 highway

This section falls under a general outline aiming at creating a fourth highway axis between the north and the south of the France. Its construction started in 1975 and was completed in 2004 with the startup of the viaduct of Millau

This news highway A75, in complement of the A71 of Orleans to Clermont-Ferrand, opens a fourth way through France and has several characteristics:

it makes it possible to lighten the Rhone-native valley very much used by the trucks to connect the north of Europe to the Spain and the Portugal and the holiday makers to join the edges of the the Mediterranean.
it also makes it possible to disenclose the Massif Central and the town of Clermont-Ferrand by opening them on the south.
it enriches the French highway network and, with more large scales, facilitates the transit between the Europe of north and the Paris region on the one hand and the Spain and the west of the Mediterranean frontage on the other hand.

A solution with the crossing of the Tarn in Millau

The Tarn is a river which runs of is in west, in the south of the Massif Central, cutting thus the North-South axis.

During nearly three years, highway A7X remained unfinished with the accesses of Millau. Before the viaduct, this crossing was done by a bridge located in bottom of valley, in the town of Millau. Millau was then a very large road, known and dreaded black spot. Kilometers of congestions and hours of waiting to cross the city reproduced each year at the time of great estival flows. These decelerations made lose all the advantages of the A75, known as highway of Town and country planning and entirely free on 340 kilometers. All the traffic drained by the highway brought pollution and danger to the town of Millau.

The installation of the viaduct was long. In this area, the climatic conditions are hard, with strong winds, and the very particular geological characteristics of the top-plates of Larzac and valley of the Tarn very boxed are difficult. The various projects of crossing were technically very difficult. It will have taken ten years of study and four years of realization to complete the highway crossing of the Tarn by the viaduct of Millau, apart from the city.

The work

The viaduct is a stayed girder bridge 2.460 m length.

It crosses the valley of the Tarn to nearly 270 m height.

Its apron 32 m broad accommodates a highway of 2 times 2 ways and two ways of help.

It is maintained by 7 prolonged piles each one by a pylon of 87 m to which 11 pairs of stay are fastened.

The bridge has a radius of curvature of 20 km, which makes it possible the vehicles to have a trajectory more precise than in straight line.

Key figures

Longueur : 2 460 m
Largeur : 32 m
maximum Height (high of the mast of the P2 pile): 343 m, is 20 m more than the Eiffel Tower.
maximum Height of passage of the road: Close to 270 m with the top of the Tarn
Pente : 3,015 %, in North-South rise in the direction Clermont-Ferrand - Béziers.
Ray of courbure : 20 km
Height of the highest pile (P2) : 245 m
Height of the smallest pile (P7) : 77,56 m
Height of the pylônes : 88,92 m
Number of piles : 7
Number of haubans : 154 (11 pairs per pylon laid out in only one monoaxial tablecloth).
Tension of the haubans : 900 T for longest.
Weight of the apron of acier : 36 000 T, is 4 time the Eiffel Tower.
Volume of béton : 85 000 m3, is 206 000 T
Cost of the construction : 400 M€.
Lasted of the concession : 78 years (3 years of construction and 75 years of exploitation).
Guaranteed ouvrage : 120 years.

Piles and abutments

Each pile takes support on 4 Moroccan Puits S which finishes in foot of elephant a 18 m depth for the first 3 piles to 9 m for the others and from 6,50 to 5 m in diameter.

Structures of concrete ensure the anchoring of the apron the dry land on Causse of the Larzac and the red Causse, they are the abutments.

The apron

Its steel deck, very light of appearance although its total mass borders: 36000 T, measurement: 2460 meters length and 32 m broad. It comprises eight spans. The six central spans measure 342 m and two spans of the 204 ends; Mr. It is composed of 173 central boxes, true spinal column of the work, onto which were welded the side floorings and the boxes of bank. The central boxes have a section of 4 m and a length of 15 with 22 m for a unit weight of 90 T. The apron has the shape of reversed wing of plane so that it has as little catch to the wind as possible.

Pylons

The 7 pylons, tops 88,92 m and weighing approximately 700 tons, take support on the piles. Each one of them allows the anchoring of 11 pairs of stays which ensure the support of the apron thus.

Stays

The stay were developed by the company Freyssinet. Each strand received triple protection against the Corrosion (Galvanisation, oil wax coating and sheath in extruded Polyéthylène). The outer jacket of the stays itself is equipped over all its length with a double helicoid pad. The goal of this device is to avoid any water streaming which would cause in the event of high wind a setting in vibration of the stay affecting the stability of the viaduct.

Bituminous mix

To deal with the deformations of the steel deck under traffic, a special bituminous mix, containing modified bitumen, was developed by the research teams of Appia. Enough flexible to adapt to the deformations of steel without fissuring, it must nevertheless offer a sufficient resistance to answer the highway criteria (tiredness, compactness, texture, adherence, anti-rutting…). Two years of studies were necessary to find “the” formula ideal.

Electrical installation

The electric installations of the viaduct are rather important and proportional to the immense work. Thus, the bridge has 30 km of cables with high tension current, 20 km of fiberoptics, 10 km of cables with low current and 357 telephone sockets to allow the maintenance crews to communicate between them and with the headquarters, where which they are in the apron, the piles and the pylons.

Side of the instrumentation, the viaduct is not in remainder. Piles, apron, pylons and stays are equipped with a multitude of sensors. Those are conceived to detect the least movement of the viaduct and to measure its wear resistance of time. Anemometer S, accelerometers, inclinometers, temperature gauges… belongs to the panoply of the measuring instruments used.

Twelve extensometers with Fiberoptic were included in the sole of the P2 pile. Higher pile of the viaduct, it is thus subjected to the most intense efforts. These sensors detect movements about the micrometer. Other extensometers - electric this time - are distributed on all the height of P2 and P7. These apparatuses are able to provide up to 100 measurements a second. In high wind conditions, they make it possible to permanently supervise the reactions of the viaduct vis-a-vis extreme conditions. Accelerometers placed at the strategic places of the apron control the oscillatory phenomena which could affect the metal structure. Displacements of the apron on the level of the abutments are supervised except for the millimetre. The stays, as for them, are also instrumented and their ageing thoroughly analyzed. Moreover, two piezoelectric sensors separated by a loop from counting collects multiple data concerning the traffic: weight of the vehicles, mean velocity, density of the flow of circulation, etc This system is able to distinguish 14 types of different vehicles.

Information collected is transmitted by a network of the type Ethernet to a Serveur which is in the room exploitation Informatique of the farm building located close to the turn pike.

The turn pike

It is with 4 kilometers in the north of the viaduct, close to the village of Saint-Germain, that are located the single barrier of Péage of the A75 and the buildings reserved at the team of commercial exploitation and technique. These installations are located on the commune of Millau. The turn pike is protected by a hood in form from “twisted concrete sheet” (proceeded ceracem). Constituted of 53 elements (voussoirs), this hood is long of a hundred meters and broad of 28 Mr. As for his weight, it borders 2500 T.

The turn pike comprises 16 ways (8 in each direction). In the event of weak multitude, the central cabin was arranged to manage the passage of the vehicles in the two directions. A carpark equipped with toilets is available on both sides of the barrier. Its total costs are of 20 M€.

Fourteen years of studies

Chronology

1987 : Establishment of the first layouts by the CETE of Aix-en-Provence.
October 19th 1991: Choice of the high solution of the crossing of the Tarn by a work of approximately 2.500 m.
1993 - 1994: Separate consultation of seven architects and eight research departments.
1995 - 1996: Second study of definition with five groupings associating architects and research departments.
January 10th 1995: Declaration of public utility.
July 9th 1996: The jury adopts the stayed solution with multiple spans of the grouping Europe Studies Survey firm R.Foucault and Associés- Sogelerg - Norman Foster.
May 20th 1998: Decision of setting in Concession.
June 8th 2000: Launching of the contest in concession-construction. Letter addressed to 4 groupings.

Preliminary studies

Choice between four options

At the time of the choice of the layout of the A75, it is decided that this one would pass by Millau. At the beginning of the studies, four options are considered:

an option known as “large Is” ( layout vert ) passing to the east of Millau and crossing with great height the valleys of the Tarn and the Dourbie via two large bridges (carried from 800 with: 1000 m) whose construction proves to be difficult. This option gives access Millau only starting from the plate of the Larzac by using the long one and sinuous descent of the Cavalry. Although it is shorter and more favorable for the through traffic, this option is abandoned because it does not make it possible to serve Millau and its area in a satisfactory way.

an option known as “great West” ( layout noir ), longer than the preceding one of a dozen kilometers, borrowing the valley of the Cernon. Of an easier technical realization (requiring 4 viaducts), this solution in particular presents significant impacts on the environment, with the right of the picturesque villages of Peyre and Saint-Georges-with-Luzençon. More expensive than the preceding one and badly serving Millavois, this option is not retained.

an option known as “near to the RN9” ( layout rouge ) serving Millau well but presenting technical difficulties and having a strong impact on the existing or projected built medium. This option is also abandoned.

an option known as “median” in the west of Millau ( layout bleu ) profiting from a rather broad local approval but presenting difficulties of geological realization of order, in particular on the level of the crossing of the valley of the Tarn. The investigations of the experts conclude with the possibility of surmounting them.

This last option known as “median” is chosen by ministerial decision the June 28th 1989.

Choice of the definite location

Once the choice of the layout carried out, two families of solutions is compared by the services of the ministry for the Equipment:

a “high” family, calling upon a viaduct of: 2500 m passing to more than 200 m above the Tarn.
a “low” family, going down in the valley, crossing the Tarn thanks to a work of 600 m then reaching the Larzac by a viaduct of: 2300 m prolonged by a tunnel.

After long studies and local consultations, the “low” family is given up, in particular because the tunnel would have crossed a Ground water, and because of her cost, of the impact on the urbanization and the lengthening of way which it implies. Less long, less expensive and offering better security conditions for the users, the “high” family appears most interesting.

The choice of a “high” solution is stopped by ministerial decision the October 29th 1991.

This choice requires the construction of a Viaduc a length of: 2500 Mr. Obviously, it will be the great work of the A75. Of 1991 with 1993, division works of art of Sétra, directed by Michel Virlogeux, carries out preliminary studies and checks the feasibility of a single work crossing the valley. Taking into account the technical, architectural and financial stakes, the direction of the roads then puts in competition research departments and Architecte S in order to widen the search for the possible solutions. In July 1993, 17 research departments and 38 architects stand as a candidates for the realization of the first studies. With the assistance of a multi-field commission, the direction of the roads selects 8 research departments for the technical studies and 7 architects for the architectural studies.

Choice of the technical solution

In parallel, a college of international experts representing a broad spectrum of competences (technical, architectural and landscape), chaired by Jean-François Coste, is set up to clarify the choices to be carried out. In February 1994, on the basis of proposal of the architects and the research departments and with the support of the college of experts, 5 families of solution are identified.

The competition is started again: 5 couples architect-offices of studies, consisted of the best candidates of the first phase, are formed and each one of them looks further into the study of a family of solutions. The July 15th 1996, Bernard Pons, Minister for the Equipment, ratifies the proposal of the jury made up of elected officials, experts and experts and chaired by the director of the roads, at the time Christian Leyrit. The solution of the multihaubané viaduct presented by the grouping of research departments Sogelerg , Europe Studies Gecti and Serf and the cabinet of architects Norman Foster & Partners is adopted.

The studies of detail are undertaken by the grouping prize winner under the piloting of the direction of the roads until the middle of 1998. After wind tunnel tests, the shape of the apron is altered and the drawing of the piles is the subject of meticulous developments. The studies of detail having been concluded their, the final characteristics of the work are approved with the end of the year 1998. Following the decision of the Minister for the Equipment to concede the realization and the exploitation of the viaduct, an international invitation to tender is launched in 1999. Four consortia were in competition for the concession:

the grouping Eiffage Company of the Viaduct of Millau (CEVM), with Eiffage
grouping carried out by Spanish Dragados, with Skanska (Sweden) and Nozzle (France);
the grouping Company of the viaduct of Millau, including/understanding French companies ASF, Egis, engine, Bouygues Public works, SGE, CDC Projects, Tofinso and the Italy Highway;
the grouping carried out by the General Road one, with Via GTI (France) and Curved, Nesco, Acciona and Ferrovail Agroman (Spain).

The Compagnie Eiffage of the viaduct of Millau is finally selected at the end of this procedure. The fact that the services of the administration led the studies of detail of the work to a very advanced stage made it possible to reduce technical uncertainties. This way of proceeding had the double advantage of facilitating the negotiation of the concession contract, of reducing its cost for the community and of accelerating the realization of the work by minimizing the studies remaining with the load of the dealer.

Opposition

Several associations had appeared against the project like the WWF, Natural France Environment, the National federation of the users of highway (FNAUT) or Agir for the environment.

The opponents have advanced various arguments:

the layout more in the west will be the best traced: longer of three kilometers but three times less expensive with its three traditional works of art.
the objective of the viaduct will not be reached: because of toll, the viaduct will be borrowed little and the viaduct will not be the solution with the famous congestions of Millau.
financial balance will be impossible: the incomes of toll will never allow the return on investment and the concessionary company will have to be constant by subsidies.
the technical realization will be imperfect, therefore dangerous and not very perennial: the piles will not be solid owing to the fact that they are assoient on the marl of the valley of the Tarn.
the viaduct is a deviation: the reduction in the passage of the tourists in Millau will slow down the economy of the town of Millau.

The convention of concession

The reform 2001 of the financing of the highways

On the basis of law of the bearing April 18th, 1955 statute of the highways, the State could concede the construction and the exploitation of sections of highways at companies in which the public interests were majority. But because of evolution of international environment with in particular a necessary recourse to a broader competition defined in the European directive 93/37/CCE of the Council of June 14th, 1993, called “Directive Work”, bearing coordination of the procedures of making of the government contracts of work, it was necessary to make evolve/move this system.

It was thing made with the ordinance n° 2000-273 of March 28th, 2001 ratified by the law n° 2001-1011 of November 5th, 2001. This law allows a broad competition and the entry of new operators and puts an end to the system of the backing. This system, which consisted in financing partially of new sections of highways thanks to the toll perceived on the sections in service of the same dealer to which one granted a prolongation of his contract, was indeed not formally compatible with an equitable competition between candidates for the attribution of a new concession, because it was likely to favor the companies already having a network conceded with the detriment of new operators.

From now on, the public contributions possibly necessary to the financial balance of the future concessions of highways will be carried out in the form of subsidies, and the new sections will be the specific contract object. This way of proceeding will make it possible to better compare the offers of the various candidates.

An application of the law of 2001: the concession of the viaduct of Millau

The viaduct of Millau is thus the second highway installation to enter within the framework of the reform of 2001. It is financed by funds deprived within the framework of a concession contract: the work is the French state-owned property, the expenditure for the realization and the exploitation of the work is the responsibility of the dealer, the incomes of toll are allotted to the dealer.

The cost of realization of the whole of work is evaluated with nearly 400 million Euros.

One will note the fact that no public allocation was necessary for balance, while stressing that is not counts of it in balance the whole of the work completed by the State to arrange the accesses. It is not the case of the two other concession contracts allotted since the ordinance of March 2001:

A28 between Rouen and Alençon : 55 years concession allotted in April 2001 (the first thus on invitation to tender) to the Alis company for an amount of 917 million euros with a public participation of the State (20%) and territorial collectivities of Normandy (20%).
A19 between Artenay and Courtenay : 65 years concession allotted on March 31st, 2005 to company ARCOUR, subsidiary of group VINCI, for an global amount of 595 million d'€ HT, with a contractual public financial contribution of 80 financed d'€ million with 50% by the State and 50% per the General advice, leader of the territorial collectivities contributrices.

A dealer: company EIFFAGE of the viaduct of Millau

The convention of concession between the State and Company EIFFAGE of the viaduct of Millau, subsidiary of group EIFFAGE, for the financing, the design, construction, the exploitation and the maintenance of the viaduct of Millau is signed on September 27th, 2001 by M.Jean-Claude Gayssot, minister for the equipment, transport and housing for the State and by Mr. Jean-François Roverato, president-director general Company EIFFAGE of the viaduct of Millau.

This convention is approved by decree No 2001-923 of October 8th, 2001 of the Lionel Jospin Prime Minister.

The head office of Company EIFFAGE of the viaduct of Millau (CEVM) is in full center of Millau. The center of commercial exploitation and technique as well as the barrier of Péage were installed close to the village of Saint-Germain in the North-East of Millau. About fifty people permanently ensure the reception, safety and maintenance as toll collectors, hosts and hostesses, patrol craft or maintenance men.

Duration of the concession: 75 years

The duration of the concession, 75 years, is exceptionally long compared to usual highway concession, because of the necessary balance of the operation.

However, the State can repurchase the concession starting from January 1st, 2045. This repurchase then gives place to the payment of an allowance to the dealer whose methods of calculation are defined in the concession. Conceding can also put an end to the concession since “the office plurality of the real turnovers (value November 2000) brought up to date at the end of 2000 at the rate of 8% will be equal or higher than three hundred and seventy-five million euros”. The concession takes then fine without payment of allowance.

Toll

The tariffs of toll perceived by the dealer are fixed each year by this one, in accordance with the regulations in force, within the framework of five-year plans approved by the two signatories of convention.

For the year 2007, the right-of-way on the viaduct is since the 2/1/07 the following:

5,4 € for the light vehicles (7,00 € in July and August)
8,1 € for the intermediate vehicles (10,6 € in July and August)
19,4 € for the two axles higher than 3,5 tons (all the year)
26,4 € for the 3 axles (all the year)
3,5 € for the motor bikes (all the year)

Thirty-eight month of construction

Chronology

October 2001: Installation of the building site.
October 16th 2001: Beginning of construction.
December 14th 2001: Pose “first stone” of the building site.

Two building sites with open sky were arranged with the back of the abutments, the north and the south of the viaduct. All the weldings and work of assembly were carried out there. 95% of the tasks thus could be realized on the level of the ground, limiting of as much the risk related to work on great height. 1742 meters were assembled southern part, against 717 on the northern side. From September 2002 at May 2004, 20 months of work necessary to the 150 people will have been assigned to the construction of the apron. . The cost of this work is evaluated to 5,8 million euros:

4,8 million euros of appropriations of State for the realization of the surface (roadway system of access,

carparks, area rest, medical…)

1 million euros for the restoration of the buildings of the farm of Brocuéjouls

(together of the two sections) The farm of Brocuéjouls and its immediate surroundings will be able to accommodate actions of animation and tourist promotion.

Safety

In the field of safety, hard shoulders (BEAM) were created on the viaduct (as on all the Autoroute S). The terminals of call of helps are laid out all the 500 Mr. Moreover, of the cameras coupled to a system of automatic control of incident any anomaly and any object locate on the roadway. They immediately send a signal of alarm to the PC of supervision. In the event of major accident, a plan of help validated by the prefecture of the Aveyron is in force on the viaduct. It envisages the means of intervention on the work and their organization.

Side users, of the panels of information are in place and the viaduct can be closed where necessary.

Traffic

Real alternative with the valley of the Rhone (via the highway A7), the viaduct of Millau and the 40 additional kilometers of the highway A75 are opened with circulation the December 16th 2004. Like local stake, the viaduct should contribute “to make jump the famous stopper of Millau” and thus avoid the center of the city and the rise of the Larzac. It should save 30 minutes in normal situation and until nearly 4 a.m. certain weekends of summer (known as “of drive out-crossed”).

National and international real issue, it makes it possible to the conveyers to reduce to a significant degree the time of way of their weight-heavy - 45 minutes for the way Paris - Perpignan, Paris - Barcelona or Amsterdam - Perpignan. The Rhone-native axis being frequently close to the saturation, these time-savers, calculated on the basis of normal traffic, could be quite higher, in particular with the effects of the saturation of the crossing of Lyon.

In addition, this new route makes it possible to save up to 34 € toll by way, without counting the savings in fuel carried out thanks to a shorter way of 60 kilometers.

Another asset and not of least: the beauty and the diversity of the landscapes crossed by the highway A75 during its crossing of the high plateaus of the Massif Central, of Lodève to Clermont-Ferrand.

Traffic envisaged

The dimensioning of the turn pike was made to be able to assimilate a flood of: 30000 vehicles per day without deceleration. Prior studies considered a medium-heavy trafic over the year of:

: 10000 vehicles per day as of the opening.
: 20000 vehicles per day in 2010.

Real traffic

2005: 4.353.799 vehicles crossed the viaduct in 2005, that is to say an average of 11.928 vehicles per day. The point occurred on July 31st, 2005 with 50.018 vehicles recorded with the turn pike. To face this extreme point which generated more 12 km of congestions on both sides of the turn pike, the Eiffage Company of the viaduct of Millau built 4 ways of additional tolls increasing the number from 14 to 18. These new stations were brought into service in June 2006.

2006: 4.347.930 vehicles crossed the viaduct in 2006, that is to say 5.869 vehicles of less than in 2005 but an appreciably equivalent average of 11.912 vehicles per day. The point occurred August 12th, 2006 with 53.795 vehicles, constituting the current record of daily traffic on the viaduct. The traffic remains higher of 8% than the initial forecasts of the operating company which announces a turnover of 26 M€, slightly higher than that of 2005 because of annual increase of the tariffs and a rise of 12% of the traffic heavy trucks.

Collateral impacts with that on the road traffic

On the environment

The viaduct passes entirely above the valley of the Tarn of the red Causse to Causse of the Larzac. It crosses the secondary road 992 Albi - Millau, the Tarn, the railway of the Ligne of the Causses and the secondary road 41 Millau - Peyre.

The layout respects the major natural sites, exceptional landscapes located at the confluence of the valleys of the Dourbie and the Tarn, while ensuring an easy service road of the agglomeration of Millau.

The passage in viaduct incontestably minimized the contribution of the work to the Fragmentation écopaysagère of the valley, but the day only. Astronomers and ecologists regret the absence of taking into account of the night Environnement and an important contribution to the luminous Pollution by the process and the party of lighting selected, and moindrement and potentially by the noise.

Beyond the esthetic concern and of good integration in the diurnal landscape, the adopted technical solutions (fine steel deck and concrete piles) made it possible to reduce the structures carrying and thus the indirect impacts related on the building site and consumption resources upstream. In the same way, in accordance with the recommendations of the Impact study on the environment, throughout construction, of the provisions were taken in order to minimize the impact on the close localities and the ambient conditions. Thus, a reduction of work on site (Prefabrication in factory of elements of the apron) allowed a reduction in volumes of materials to on the spot implement compared to a solution any concrete. Less machines, less trucks, less aggregates to be transported reduced the harmful effects for the populations concerned with the traffic specific to the building site.

Devices were also designed to reprocess the water used by the building site in order to avoid a pollution of the ground. The management of waste of the building site was also another component of the plan of quality assurance accompanying all the phase by construction. The same concern perdure after the startup of the work, since are integrated in the structure several permanent means of recovery and treatment of rain water and the residues of cleaning of the roadway systems.

The viaduct crosses the Regional natural park of the Large Causses.

On local tourism

The viaduct of Millau is regarded as a work of art from its integration in the landscape of Large Causses, Goélette white with seven masts sailing, motionless, in the sky of the south of the Aveyron (in particular when the clouds invade the valley).

He knows very a big hit: during its only construction, more: 500000 people moved to admire it. Today, the multitude record from the panoramic points of view on the bridge, like that of the descent of RN9 on Millau or that of the surface of Brocuéjouls which was arranged in rest area for the A75, is notable. The derivative products quickly flowered in the trade of the center of the city and even in all the Aveyron and the departments close to the Cantal, the Lozere and the Herault.

The viaduct also has a strong influence on the frequentation of the sites which are close for him. For example, the suckers of Roquefort and the site of Micropolis to Saint-Léons saw the number of their visitors growing quickly after his startup. In the same way, the restoration and the Hôtel lery millavoises saw their sales turnover to increase thanks to “the viaduct effect”, in spite of their fears of origin (turning into a desert of the downtown area…).

Thus the viaduct of Millau knows already an international repute and is regarded by certain as “the architectural reference of the beginning of the 21e century”.

A project is planned to accentuate the tourist aspect of the viaduct. It would consist in using the fact that the piles are hollow to arrange elevators and port-holes there. This project is estimated at 26 million euros with the setting with the road gauge of the access to the building site.

On local economic fabric

“The viaduct effect” made it possible to the mayor of Millau to sign more than 100 permits building in 18 months of which the establishment of 3 hotels, trade and industries. Millau east in the moment of living an economic boom since the opening of the viaduct.

The two zones of activities to the Cavalry in the South, and to Sévérac-the-Castle, North, knew a strong expansion by accommodating local companies and external.

Demonstrations and events

Sporting events

Exceptional fact since the bridge is interdict with the pedestrians, a race on foot already took place in 2004 and another on May 13rd, 2007 was held.

November 30th - December 4th, 2004 - a team of 3 skaters course 700 km separating Paris from the Viaduct in 5 days.
December 2004 - 19.000 walkers and runners of Balade of the three viaducts have the privilege to be able to traverse the apron but are not authorized with further going the P1 pile, while at the same time the work was still closed with circulation.
May 13rd, 2007 - 10.496 runners take the departure of the race which will carry out them Place of Mandarous, in the center of Millau, until the southern extremity of the viaduct. After being gone up on the plate, side northern, they cross the viaduct then reconsider their steps. Total distance: 23,7 km.

This demonstration will not be renewed.

July 1st, 2007: 1.052 motor bikes crossed the Viaduct of Millau within the framework of an operation organized by the Association of the motorcyclists of the Viaduct. The number is official and was validated by a bailiff for a publication with the book of the records. Appointment the next year, at the time of the second edition which will be held over two days to better do.

Famous visitors

During construction, many personalities of all the mediums had hastened to visit the bridge. Among those:

Jacques Chirac during the inauguration the December 14th 2004.
the prince Philip, duke of Edinburgh (May 28th 2004)
Jose Bove (April 30th 2004)
Jean-Pierre Raffarin (April 7th 2004)
Gilles de Robien (January 24th 2003 and December 14th 2004)
Marc Blondel (December 9th 2003)
Sir Norman Foster (October 17th 2003 and December 14th 2004)
Dominique Bussereau (September 29th 2003)
Henri Salvador (be 2002)
Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (October 2002)
Jean-Claude Gayssot (December 14th 2001)

Anecdotes

a fire was declared in 2004 on a slope of red Causse due to a spark of welding. It burned some trees.
the speed limit on the viaduct was brought back from 130 to 110 km/h because of the many decelerations. Indeed, the tourists take photographs of the bridge since their vehicle. To note that shortly after the opening to circulation, of the vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder of the viaduct right to admire the landscape and the bridge!
a stamp was especially published for the inauguration. It was drawn by Sarah Lazarevic.
the minister Chinese of transport visited the viaduct at the time of the first birthday of its startup. The delegation was interested in the technical prowesses achieved by the Eiffage company to carry out this monumental work, but also in the legal and financial assembly of the viaduct of which it is not envisaged, however, according to the minister, to build a counterpart as a popular republic of China.
the cabinet of the governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, which considers the construction of a bridge in bay of San Francisco, required councils of the town hall of Millau on the consensus of the population during the construction of the viaduct.

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