Les Viaducs de Sioule et Bouble

From Lapeyrouse to Gannat, 5 exceptional structures on the railway line cross the Bouble and Sioule valleys. The viaducts of Bouble, Bélon, Perrière, Rouzat, Neuvial, some of which are listed as historical monuments and natural sites.

150 years ago, a technological boom in Bourbonnais. Decided and declared of public interest in 1863, the railway linking the train stations of Commentry and Gannat in the Allier deparment was launched on June 18th, 1871. It linked the Paris-Orléans and Paris-Lyon-Méditerrannée networks. On 52km, it crosses a path with uneven terrain, which required the construction of 7 viaducts and more than 1,000m of tunnels. 5 of those viaducts were built in the Bouble and Sioule valleys: They are, from West to East: Boucle, Bélon, Perrière, Rouzat, Neuvial. 4 of them have a metallic structure illustrating an impressive industrial heritage, and are registered as historical monuments, and 2 of them are listed as picturesque natural sites. The 5th one, the Perrière, is a piece of masonry, more traditional at the time. They were erected between 1868 and 1869 and even at 150, they still contribute to the daily railway traffic.