George V Bridge, Orléans

About

The Orléans Bridge, known as the Royal Bridge, then the National Bridge and, during the First World War, George V Bridge, in honour of King George V of the United Kingdom, is a masonry vaulted bridge crossing the Loire at Orléans in the Loiret department in France. It is located 1.2 km downstream of the René-Thinat Bridge and 700 metres upstream of the Marshal-Joffre Bridge, on the axis of Rue Royale on the right bank and Avenue Dauphine on the left bank. The 18th century was in France a golden age for the construction of bridges both by the number of those built and by the progress made in the execution and structure of this type of works.

George V Bridge is one of these outstanding works. It was built from 1751 to 1763 according to the plans of Jean Hupeau. He was executed by Daniel Trudaine, State Councillor, Finance Superintendent responsible for retailing the Ponts-et-Chaussées from 1743 until his death in 1769.

The work was led by Hupeau, assisted by Robert Soyer and two trainees, Jean Cadet de Limay and François Lecreux.