French architecture of the end of the 19th Century was marked by the genius of an extraordinary architect: Gustave Eiffel. He has handed down his testimony of the industrial revolution, which enshrined the supremacy of steel.
Gustave Eiffel is an integral part of the French landscape. His creations are everywhere, and often spectacular in nature, such as on the banks of the Seine where his monumental tower stands. Sometimes they are more understated, such as a small railway bridge or a steel structure that is hardly noticeable.
Monumental works
The Eiffel tower (built in 1889) needs no introduction. It is the symbol of the French capital and the chef d'oeuvre of a man whose life was devoted to breaking records. Following various scientific and military operations, the tower is now entirely devoted to tourism. Its height of 320 metres gives fantastic views over the "Ville Lumière". It is also a place to visit for food lovers because there are restaurants and cafés on the 1st and 2nd floors.
However, the story of this architect from Dijon started before this seminal work, with buildings which were already spectacular. He soon acquired a reputation as "the bridge man" thanks to the Rouzat viaduct (1869), in the Allier region, the Saint-Jean bridge (1859) in Bordeaux, and the Garabit viaduct (1883), in Cantal. The latter is without doubt the architect's most audacious project. He had to cross a valley more than 500 metres long and 122 metres deep. Today, the viaduct is an absolute must see.
As we are reminded by Sylvain Yeatman Eiffel, president of the Association des Descendants of the engineer, "the method of construction used on this bridge is exceptional. No scaffolding was used and the two parts of the arch were assembled by a set of cables". Gustave Eiffel's largest ever arch bridge built in France is similar to its Portuguese counterpart, the Maria Pia bridge over the Douro.
Other works, such as the Cubzac Bridge, have histories that are specific to the meeting of different eras. In this case, Gustave Eiffel was only the last architect to work on the monument. 662 metres long and 11 metres wide, the Pont-Canal in Briare is also a beautiful structure. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is both a bridge and a canal travelled by barges, 15 metres above the Loire.
Steel structures
Throughout his career, Gustave Eiffel also developed steel structures. Le Bon Marché in Paris has kept its 1900's charm. When it was extended, Eiffel was asked to create the shop's steel structure. This extension of the building, which is extremely decorative, is still visible today.
Another must see is the dome of the Observatoire de Nice (1885). The building was designed by Charles Garnier, to whom we also owe the Opera Garnier in Paris. Gustave Eiffel created the steel structure of this ingenious mechanism allowing the dome to move without friction.
Eiffel was also behind the origin of the structure of Saint-Joseph church in Paris and the glass roofs of Agen and Toulouse stations. Many creations are more difficult to access or not open to the public, particularly in Paris, with the synagogue on Rue des Tournelles and the glass roof of the Palais Galliera, which is now the Musée de la Mode.
At the service of the railways
The history of this chemist's constructions is strongly linked to the rise of the railways. Several hundred bridges in France support the train tracks. It is impossible to write an exhaustive list, but included are Montélimar and Marseilles, where a steel bridge of 100 metres in length connects the station to the esplanade of the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica.
Contacts
Association des descendants de Gustave Eiffel, +33 (0) 1 45 00 22 56
Observatoire de Nice, +33 (0) 4 92 00 30 11
Tourist Offices
Allier (Rouzat) +33 (0) 4 70 43 51 51
Bordeaux +33 (0) 5 56 00 66 00
Agen +33 (0) 5 53 47 36 09
Toulouse +33 (0) 5 61 11 02 22
Montélimar +33 (0) 4 75 01 00 20
Marseilles +33 (0) 4 91 13 89 20