Millau Viaduc
In Millau next week and hoping to view this fantastic bridge. I would like to drive across and stop at the aire which allows viewing the bridge. Anybody done this recently and can advise me where to join/ exit the autoroute.
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Enter autoroute at Clermont Ferrand and exit at Montpellier, though the best viewpoints are (a) at the aire on the north side of the viaduct and (b) directly underneath it by the exhibition centre.
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As you leave Millau going to the Autoroute South there are viewing points on the steep climb out. Nice to stay in Millau which has an attractive old part.
In June this year we stayed at Les Erables which is ten minutes from the town centre. This site was always nice but has improved enormously since new owners took over 4 years ago. Immaculate facilities and all pitches have neatly trimmed hedges. When we were there, Madame was in reception all through the lunchtime. They deserve to do well. ACSI.
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To the north side, heading south, there is an Aire you can park in and then walk to a viewing platform where you get a good view of the viaduct.
Like others, though, I think the best view is from literally underneath - only there do you get the absolutely dramatic scale of the thing. As Hitchglitch says, if you drive down into Millau and then exit on what was the old road south, at the very top
'corner' there is a 'Belvedere' which gives a good long-distance view.Driving across the bridge is unexciting as you can't see 'down' so get no impression of just how high up the road deck actually is.
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If you want to see an impressive structure google 'Viaduc de Garabit' built by Eiffel. It is just at the side of the A75 and is best viewed from the Aire de Garabit.
We were very lucky as we just called in the Aire for a break and was astounded to see this bridge. There is also a information centre and amazingly it is also in English!
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If you want to see an impressive structure google 'Viaduc de Garabit' built by Eiffel. It is just at the side of the A75 and is best viewed from the Aire de Garabit.
We were very lucky as we just called in the Aire for a break and was astounded to see this bridge. There is also a information centre and amazingly it is also in English!
Nice in its own right but surely not as impressive as the Millau Viaduct?
David
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Maybe worth mentioning that, of course, if you drive into Millau you avoid paying the bridge toll.
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If you want to see an impressive structure google 'Viaduc de Garabit' built by Eiffel. It is just at the side of the A75 and is best viewed from the Aire de Garabit.
We were very lucky as we just called in the Aire for a break and was astounded to see this bridge. There is also a information centre and amazingly it is also in English!
Nice in its own right but surely not as impressive as the Millau Viaduct?
David
Maybe not as visually impressive to some but when you read about how every piece of steel was fabricated hundreds of miles away, transported by train to the nearest station ( still many miles away) and then transported by horse and cart ( if memory serves
me correct) then it is an amzing achievement of its day0 -
We have been told by French speakers that 'Millau' is pronounced 'Mee Oh' and not 'Mill Ow' as many Brits are wont to say
Yes that's correct. Many pitfalls in pronouncing French place names and perhaps the worst would be saying "reams" for Reims instead of "rance". Others include Troyes which is "troi" like the French for three. I have a bad habit of pronouncing Lyons with a hard "y" which is a dead giveaway. Then of course there is Nice (but everybody knows that).
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And what about that town in the Gers: Condom, which is often a source of amusement. Sorry, off-topic, but as the discussion had moved on to pronounciation of towns, I wondered about that one. Is it pronounced like we do? I don't think so.
The "m" is not pronounced so it doesn't sound anything like the English version.
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Way off topic, but recall being told that the Spanish renamed 'Mallorca' to 'Majorca' in the hope that northern Europeans would pronounce it properly - then along came the 'Brits'
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Staying at camping les rivages at moment today traveled on d809 to junction 47 of A75 and came back over bridge and stopped at aires the millau side wonderful veiw point worth the climb
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If you are travelling north towards Millau, take the D809 which turns off the A75 just after the Aire du Larzac (about 10 kms from Millau). This is the old road into Millau before the bridge was built and there is a wonderful viewpoint on the right just as you approach Millau. It is well signposted and there is parking for motorhomes although not for those towing a caravan. Unfortunately it cannot be accessed from the other carriageway, only when approaching from the south.
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