The Normandy Bridge, a Colossal Construction

Two kilometers-long, 214 meters-high and weighing some 20 000 tons, an indestructible giant spans the Seine: the Normandy bridge. From the laying of its foundation stone in 1988 to its inauguration in 1995, this film traces back the construction of this prodigious cable-stayed bridge.

Linking the cities of Le Havre and Honfleur, the Normandy bridge is a major roadway used by approximately 7 million vehicles each year. With a central span of 856 m, it held the record for the largest cable-stayed bridge in the world when it was commissioned. How did we manage to build such a colossus? In the face of natural phenomena, the experts had to deploy foolproof engineering methods.

Combining archival footage, 3D models and the interventions of technicians and designers, this film takes us through every step of a spectacular construction site which defied the elements.