The Pont de Normandie by Honfleur !!!

Posted in Europe, France

This is worth the update on this older post one of several on Honfleur side Le Havre side and the boat rides we really enjoy coming here. I like to tell you a bit more on the wonderful bridge of Normandy and the boat rides available. Let me tell you a bit more on the Pont de Normandie by Honfleur !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

So in my road warrior trips I have passed many bridges but none so emblematic of the human effort and grandeur as the Normandy bridge or Pont de Normandie. We have criss cross it several times but also by sea to be able to see its grand structure , masterfully built. Not even damage by winds and rain and only once closed to vehicular traffic in its history for prevention. Therefore, this is my humble hommage to my latest passing this month on the Pont de Normandie. The pont de Normandie was opened on January 20 1995 , and put in service January 26th. Needless to say is a real engineering marvel and just gorgeous to look at while going underneath it.

The Pont de Normandie is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Seine estuary and linking the cities of Le Havre to Honfleur. This bridge is toll paying, except for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists. The story goes from official sources. Pardon my technical knowledge on bridge construction. In 1994 the main scope of the work beats by more than 250 meters the previous world record of 1993 (Shanghai), but this one will be lost in 1998 by 34 meters on the Tatara bridge in Japan. Its record length of cable-stayed bridge was lost in 2003 with the 2 883 meters of the bridge Rion-Antirion and, if one considers the length of apron suspended by guying (2 252 m), it is the viaduct of Millau (France)  which takes the succession with 2 444 meters.

The pont de Normandie is 7 years of construction and  10 millions work hours! You pay 5,80 euros to go over it and back, The bridge rests on pylons 214 meters high and resting 50 meters deep under the bed of the Seine. 184 cables equipped with anti-vibration needles support the loads of the deck: 856 meterslong in a vacuum, it points 52 meters above the highest waters so as not to hinder the navigation of large boats. Access is via pre-stressed concrete viaducts cast on site. The cable-stayed structure and the central metal deck, designed like an inverted airplane wing, allow the Normandy bridge to withstand winds of 440 km/h (about 273 mph) !

The structure, which is of concrete, has a total length of 21 415 meters. It has a 856 meters span, with the 624 meters of the center being metal. The concrete pylons of this span reach a height of 215 meters.  The 23.60 meters wide apron accommodates four lanes for motor vehicles, two cycle lanes and two pedestrian-protected lanes.  The apron is made up of two parts. A metal part, long 624 m, overlooks the Seine at 59.12 m. this part consists of 32 segments of 19.65 m, each of them is connected to the joint head of one of the pylons by two shrouds fixed on either side of the segment. The remainder of the apron is in pre-stressed concrete for the two access viaducts as well as for the 58 m of reach attached to each of the two pylons.  Pre-stressed reinforced concrete compounds, Y-inverted pylons measure 214.77 m and weigh 20 000 tons each, of which 11 700 for single metal reinforcement and 150 for pre-stressing cables. Because of the spherical or roundness of the Earth, the pylons are spaced about two to three centimeters higher at their top than at their base.  184 Freyssinet cables or cable stays are composed of several steel strands, between 31 and 53, depending on the effort they must undergo. All are protected against external aggressions by a layer of wax and a polyethylene sheath. They are assembled in bundles and are dressed in a liner whose profile is aerodynamic. The whole length of the bridge these are between 95 and 460 meters long.

You can park near the building, in the right bank car park, on the Le Havre side. Admission is free for pedestrians: yes, you can climb the Normandy Bridge on foot!

The official pont de Normandie : https://www.pontsnormandietancarville.fr/lhistoire/pont-de-normandie/

The Le Havre-Etretat tourist office on the pont de Normandie:https://www.lehavre-etretat-tourisme.com/en/discover/the-essentials/the-normandy-bridge/

The official chamber of commerce and industry on pont de Normandie :  https://www.pontsnormandietancarville.fr/lhistoire/pont-de-normandie/

The Vinci construction company history on building the Pont de Normandie: https://www.vinci-construction-projets.com/fr/realisations/pont-de-normandie/

There you go folks, we have taken boats to go under the bridge of Normandy.  Of course, I will tell you to ride it by car , and it is a thrill indeed. You will have a memorable moment on the Normandy bridge or Pont de Normandie. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Pont de Normandie by Honfleur !!! as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Unknown's avatar

Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

2 thoughts on “The Pont de Normandie by Honfleur !!!”

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.