Hymalayan footbridge at Rochemaure

Suspended between the Ardèche and Drôme rivers, the Rochemaure footbridge offers a unique journey over the Rhône. Combining historical heritage and innovation, this emblematic structure invites pedestrians and cyclists to discover spectacular panoramas and the living history of a unique region.

The old Rochemaure bridge

The first suspension bridge at Rochemaure* was built in 1842, but destroyed by a flood in 1856. In 1858, a new suspension bridge, of the Marc Seguin type, was built using the technique pioneered by the engineer from the Ardèche who used parallel wire cables.

This bridge quickly became an essential link between Rochemaure, Ancône and Montélimar, facilitating trade between the Ardèche and the Drôme.

The entrance to the footbridge on the Ardèche side

An eventful history

The bridge has suffered many setbacks: deliberate destruction during the Second World War, major accidents, overloading by a lorry in 1968, then definitive closure in 1982.

Its demolition was planned, but the attachment of the town’s inhabitants, with the charming nickname of Rupismauriens, led to the creation of a conservation association and its classification as a Historic Monument in 1985.

Thehistory of the bridge, extract from the information panel at the entrance to the Rochemaure footbridge:

1787
The Rhône River jealously guards the feudal castle and its ramparts, which in the Middle Ages were almost immersed in the river. Why do you have to go up to Lyon or down to Pont-Saint-Esprit to cross the Rhône, when it would be so easy to build a bridge at Rochemaure? In those days, the only way to cross from one bank to the other was by boat.

1787-1842
Building a stone bridge isn’t that easy or costly. While waiting for technological innovations, a towing ferry was installed a little to the south of the old bridge. A rope between the two banks prevented the boat from being displaced. The force of the current forced the ferry to move forward.

1825
Marc Seguin, an engineer from Annonay, built a “wire” bridge in Tournon. The cost was divided by 8 compared with stone bridges. This model inspired Rochemaure.

1842
Marc Seguin’s team built a bridge at Rochemaure. This bridge consists of 5 piers and 2 abutments on the banks. An abutment is a pier on a bank. The wooden deck is supported by parallel wire cables supported by the piers. This toll bridge was financed by local residents.

31 May 1856
This was the Rhône’s biggest flood (estimated at 10,^000m3/s). The deck and two piers were swept away.

1859
Reconstruction of the bridge with just a central pier and two abutments.

1884
The commune buys the bridge.

1937
A tanker full of petrol, which had not respected the authorised tonnage, broke through the apron and plunged into the Rhône. The driver was unharmed.

1940
Limited destruction of the apron by the retreating French army

1942
Deck repairs

1943
The point is guarded by the German army.

1943-1944
Bombing of the bridge by Allied aircraft

19 August 1944
The Resistance blew up part of the central stack.

1946
The bridge was repaired using post-war funds.

1968
An overloaded lorry ploughs through the deck.
The severely damaged bridge is now used only by two-wheelers and pedestrians.

1978
Opening of the new Rochemaure road bridge, downstream from the footbridge.

1983
Two arson attacks caused permanent damage to the deck. The bridge was closed to all traffic.

1984
The Conseil Général de l’Ardèche, which had become the owner of the bridge, planned to demolish it. The Association for the Safeguarding of the Rochemaure Suspension Bridge took action. The Commune of Rochemaure bought the bridge and saved it from destruction.

1985-1995
The question is: what will be done with this bridge?

1995
The idea of a cycle and pedestrian route from Lake Geneva to the Camargue, via the old Rochernaure bridge, took shape around the ViaRhôna project.

2008
An initial study carried out by a consultancy firm shows that it is not financially feasible to rebuild a bridge exactly as it was before.

2010
Rochemaure Town Council has taken a keen interest in the Monteynard Himalayan footbridge over the Drac. An initial study concluded that a similar footbridge could be built. The cost would be divided by 6.

2013
Building the footbridge!

Renaissance on a Himalayan footbridge

Faced with the financial impossibility of restoring the bridge to its original state, the town council took inspiration from the Himalayan footbridges at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet* and proposed a lightweight, modern structure accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

Work began in 2013, with a project costing less than a complete rebuild: the old deck was dismantled, the historic piers restored, and the new footbridge was inaugurated the same year, in August 2013.

The footbridge, the castle and the Vivarais mountains

Technical specifications and use

The footbridge is 340 metres long and less than 1.5 metres wide, suspended over the wild Rhône, and rests on the original piers of the 1858 bridge, blending perfectly into the landscape.

The entire footbridge is supported by continuous bearing cables from one bank to the other. These cables rest on metal shoes 4 metres high on the abutments and 4.80 m high on the middle pier. 8 cables ensure stability and wind resistance. The metal structure is made of galvanised steel.

It is an integral part of the ViaRhôna*, a major European cycle route, and will in future become a strategic connection point to the Via Ardèche*. Hiking* from the Himalayan footbridge is also possible, as is the tour of Mont Carcot (PR 15) or the Chenavari peak (PR 16) from the Château de Rochemaure.

Access to the old bridge is free all year round, for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Entrance to the footbridge, Drôme side

An experience to be savoured!

When you cross the footbridge at Rochemaure, you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of the Rhône, the Coiron mountains, the ancient Chenavari volcano and the town’s medieval castle. The structure sways slightly underfoot, offering unique sensations, especially in windy conditions; here blows the mistral, a frequent companion of the river towards the Mediterranean.

Visitors can stop to admire the scenery or the unique sunset, picnic nearby by the sunflower fields or simply enjoy the peace and quiet. Accessible all year round, the footbridge is equipped to welcome all kinds of visitors.

In windy conditions, the structure sways slightly, providing a gentle and memorable ‘Himalayan’ sensation. Sunsets offer a unique spectacle, transforming the footbridge into a suspended balcony overlooking nature.

The Rochemaure footbridge embodies a community’s ability to preserve and reinvent its heritage. Thanks to the efforts of local residents, careful monitoring and a forward-looking vision, this structure, which was once in danger of disappearing, is now a major tourist attraction, a link between two départements and a living testimony to local history.

Rochemaure castle from the bridge path / photo Voyage en Douce

Practical information

The easiest way to get there by car from the Ardèche is to park in the village car parks and walk a few hundred metres via the allée du Vieux Pont to the Rhône. Access is possible for people with reduced mobility. An information panel explains the history of the Rochemaure footbridge.

For cyclists and walkers, this is the stage on the ViaRhôna greenway between Le Pouzin and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with the brand new old bridge taking you from the Ardèche to the Drôme. It is accessible all year round.

Where is the Rochemaure footbridge?

Interactive map showing the location of the footbridge between Drôme and Ardèche :

➡ Going to Rochemaure in Ardèche :
🗺 Google Maps
🗺 Waze
🗺 OpenStreetMap

Focus on the Rochemaure Himalayan footbridge

Produced by the Pays d’art et d’histoire du Vivarais méridional, a label awarded by the Ministry of ^Culture1, here is an extract from the focus on this old bridge over the Rhône and its history: