Bridge of Saint-Goustan

You’re standing on the bridge that truly links the two sides of Auray. On one side is the upper town; on the other, the port of Saint-Goustan. And beneath your feet lie more than seven centuries of crossings…

along with, no doubt, a fair amount of colorful language from frustrated cart drivers! In fact, the French expression “to swear like a cart driver” comes from these very drivers, who had quite a reputation for speaking their minds. Before the bridge was built, though, crossing the river took a little planning.

At low tide, people used a ford; at high tide, they probably relied on a ferry. In other words, it was a good idea to check the tide before visiting anyone on the opposite bank. A first bridge is mentioned here as early as the late 13th century, but it wasn’t until two centuries later, after being rebuilt, that it became known as the “Pont-Neuf,” or “New Bridge.” Today, it’s almost impossible to date every stone.

Battered by tides and currents over the centuries, the bridge has been altered many times, and most of what you see now dates from 1752. Think of it like an old family house: medieval origins, but several major renovations along the way. You can see its four slightly flattened arches, known as basket-handle arches.

Between them, the stone piers project outward like the bows of ships. These cutwaters were designed to help divide the current. They rise all the way up to walkway level, creating six small recesses where pedestrians could once step aside when a cart came through…

and where today you can stop to enjoy the view without blocking everyone else. Until 1865, stagecoaches coming from Vannes crossed this bridge on their way into central Auray. From here, they had to squeeze through narrow streets with a reputation for being difficult and dangerous.

The opening of the Terre-Rouge Bridge, hidden a little farther along beyond the bend in the river, gave them a much easier route and finally took some of the pressure off Saint-Goustan. Now protected as a historic monument, this 35-meter, or roughly 115-foot, bridge does more than connect two riverbanks: in just a few steps, it carries you from Auray’s upper town into the maritime world of Saint-Goustan.