Arromanches port built for temporary use

The artificial port of Arromanches, constructed during World War II, was designed to last 90 days. It was created to facilitate the Allied invasion of Normandy and was meant to be a temporary structure.

Port sections reused after the war

Approximately 180 sections of metal from the port were reused after 1945 to replace destroyed bridges in France. This reuse provided a fast and inexpensive solution for a country rebuilding its infrastructure after the war.

Cattenom bridge built from Arromanches

In Cattenom, a section from Arromanches was used to build a bridge across the Moselle, carrying nearly 4,500 vehicles per day. This bridge, constructed in 1965, had five sections and measured 125 meters in length.

Floating road designed for short-term use

The floating road designed for three months was composed of 24-meter metal bridges, each weighing 28 tons, placed on floats. When joined together, these sections represented 15 km of road, enough to span over 120 bridges of similar length.

Port sections repurposed for infrastructure

Approximately 180 of these sections were sent back inland after the war for reconstruction purposes. These sections were reused to cross rivers and replace destroyed structures on the road network, some remaining in service until the 21st century.

Bordeaux Bridge still in use

The Bordeaux Bridge in Saint-Denis-de-Méré, which crosses the Noireau, has been in service since 1945 and is one of the oldest recorded examples. It is a surviving relic of the Arromanches port’s reuse in post-war France.

Moselle bridge replaced by new structure

The Moselle Department counted nearly 5,500 vehicles per day on the structure before its replacement. The increase in traffic eventually forced replacement, leading to the inauguration of the Pont de la Liberté on October 15, 2019.

Old bridge sections relocated

The five sections of the old structure left the Moselle on September 29, 2019. Of the five sections, three were sent to Normandy, destined for Arromanches, Tracy-sur-Mer, and Saint-Côme-de-Fresné.

Sections displayed in Normandy

In Normandy, the sections on display in Arromanches, Tracy-sur-Mer, and Saint-Côme-de-Fresné can be visited near the beach where it all began. The Bordeaux Bridge over the Noireau completes the circuit of historical sites.

Sections in Moselle now preserved

In Moselle, the whale on the Cattenom cycle path can be discovered by bike or on foot, a few meters from the Pont de la Liberté, which has taken over. Fort Hackenberg, on the other hand, adds another shift, housing a piece of the 1944 floating road.