Subject to vertigo?
To abstain ... or not!
To connect the two sides of a valley or cross a river, nothing is more practical than taking a bridge.
Some, specially designed for pedestrians, are as much technological feats as attractions for hikers in need of adrenaline.
Often integrated into hiking trails, these bridges (or footbridges) impress by their length or their height above the void.
In Switzerland, France or Northern Ireland, selection of ten suspended pedestrian bridges to discover in Europe.
In Portugal, the 516 Arouca
The 516 Arouca, the longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world, is located 80 km from Porto.
CARLOS COSTA / AFP
It is the last suspended pedestrian bridge to date, and also the longest in the world.
Inaugurated on April 30, 2021, it connects over 516 meters two granite escarps 175 meters above the Paiva River, in Portugal.
The "516 Arouca" occupies the Arouca geopark, located 80 km from Porto, recognized for its exceptional geological heritage.
If the geopark offers excellent conditions for canyoning, canoeing and climbing, hikers can count on a network of 14 marked trails to discover the sights of the site.
Price: € 12 per crossing per adult. Information:
516arouca.pt
.
Read also: Travel to Portugal: Covid-19, deconfinement, quarantine ... How the summer of 2021 is shaping up
In Switzerland, the Charles Kuonen suspended footbridge
The Charles Kuonen suspension bridge in Switzerland is the second suspension pedestrian bridge in the world after 516 Arouca in Portugal.
Valentin Flauraud
Inaugurated in 2017, the Charles Kuonen suspended footbridge held the title of the longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world until the opening of 516 Arouca in Portugal last April.
494 meters long, it rises to 85 meters above in the void, in the Valais region of Switzerland.
The bridge which offers a view of the Matterhorn integrates the Europaweg path between Grächen and Zermatt which takes place in 2 days of walking.
It can also be reached by making a loop of around 4 hours from the village of Randa (served by train), a few kilometers from Zermatt.
Information:
europaweg.ch
.
Read also: Zermatt and Cervinia, skiing in the shadow of the mythical Matterhorn
In France, the Himalayan footbridges of Drac (Isère)
The Ebron footbridge, overlooking the river of the same name between 45 and 85 meters high.
VThiebault
If the Monteynard-Avignonet lake, half an hour from Grenoble, is popular with windsurfing and kite-surfing enthusiasts, it is also an ideal place for hiking.
A 12 km loop, quite sporty (400 meters of elevation gain), allows you to cross two Himalayan footbridges overhanging between 45 and 85 meters high the Drac and the Ébron, the two rivers which feed the lake.
Allow between three and four hours of walking.
The “tour of the footbridges” starts at the jetty of Mayres-Savel.
The La Mira company makes the crossing from Treffort in thirty minutes (€ 8, from May to September, by reservation).
It is advisable to take the route in this direction (the crossing then the hike) so as not to have a time requirement.
Information:
lac-monteynard.com
.
Read also: Vercors: family, essential or sporty, three itinerant hikes to do
In Italy, the Tibetan bridge of Clavière
The 544-meter long course is made up of three bridges located 30 meters above a canyon.
Visit Claviere
Located on the Franco-Italian border, Clavière is a 20-minute drive from Briançon (Hautes-Alpes).
The village has one of the most vertiginous bridges in Europe, the Tibetan Cesana Bridge.
The 544-meter long course is made up of three cable bridges overlooking the San Gervasio Gorge up to 30 meters high.
The crossing is secured thanks to a harness system.
Allow 1 hour 30 minutes walking carefully.
A via ferrata is offered as an alternative to the path that connects the second and third bridges (count an hour longer).
Price: € 15 per crossing per adult, compulsory equipment rental (harness, helmet, via ferrata kit) included. Reservations strongly recommended on Saturdays and Sundays. Information:
pontetibetano.net
.
Read also: Travel to Italy: opening on May 15, certificate, quarantine… What you need to know
In Austria, the Holzgau suspension bridge
The Holzgau Suspension Bridge integrates the Lechweg, a 125 km hiking trail through the Tyrol region.
Julia Hermann - stock.adobe.com
Overlooking the Höhenbach Gorge at 105 meters high and 200 meters long, the Holzgauer Hängebrücke is the longest in Austria.
It integrates the Lechweg, a 125 km long-distance hiking trail that follows the Lech river in the Tyrol region.
Beyond its bridge, the village of Holzgau, nicknamed "the pearl of the Lech valley", is distinguished in particular by its waterfalls (Simmswasserfall) and its houses decorated with traditional frescoes.
Information:
lechtal.at
.
Read also: At the gates of Salzburg, seven reasons to visit the Salzkammergut
In Germany, the Geierlay bridge
Several hiking trails from Mörsdorf include crossing the Hängeseilbrücke Geierlay.
OE993 / stock.adobe.com
Opened in 2015, the Hängeseilbrücke Geierlay is 360 meters long.
It connects the villages of Mörsdorf and Sosberg in the Hunsrück massif, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, bordering France.
At 100 meters above the ground, the reckless who dare to venture there can like tickle the treetops.
The bridge is only accessible on foot or by bicycle, but parking is available within 3 km of its ends.
From Mörsdorf, several circular hiking routes ranging from 3 to 14 km include crossing the bridge.
Information:
geierlay.de
.
Read also: Mountains and wonders in the Black Forest
In Spain, the Caminito del Rey
The Caminito del Rey, 50 km from Malaga, was completely refurbished in 2015. Spanish Tourist Office
Before being completely redesigned in 2015, the Caminito del Rey (King's Path), 50 km from Malaga, was considered one of the most dangerous pedestrian routes in the world. It always takes a good dose of courage to venture on the wooden paths and walkways built into the rock, in the Gaitanes gorges which are up to 10 meters wide and 700 meters deep. If the 7.7 km long route (including 4.8 km of trails and 2.9 km of footbridges) is completed in 2 hours 30 minutes, it is necessary to add between two and three hours of routing (on foot or by bus ) between the car parks and the access control booth. This activity is an opportunity to discover the exceptional fauna, flora and geology of the Défilé des Gaitanes natural park.
Price: € 10 entry to the site. Information:
caminitodelrey.info
.
Read also: Andalusia nature side: Iberian safari in Doñana National Park
In Northern Ireland, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
The rope bridge connects the mainland to Carrick-a-Rede Island.
Chris Hill Photographic / Tourism Ireland
Although it is only 20 meters long, the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge is no less impressive.
The rocks and the waves of the North Atlantic located 30 meters below are enough to make you dizzy, especially when the sea wind starts blowing on the ropes.
The bridge was erected in 1755 by salmon fishermen who wanted to connect Carrick Island to the mainland.
It is only accessible between March and the end of September, it is dismantled outside this period.
The bridge has become a staple on the Causeway Coastal Route, a scenic route that connects Belfast to Londonderry.
Price: £ 9 per crossing per adult. Information:
nationaltrust.org.uk
.
In Russia, the Sochi Skybridge
The Sochi Skybridge was inaugurated on the occasion of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Skypark.ru
439 meters.
It is the length of the Skybridge of Sochi, a seaside town located in the European part of Russia.
Opened during the 2014 Winter Olympics, the bridge offers unrivaled views of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea coastline.
Special feature: it looks more like a staircase with its 627 steps and has a bungee jumping platform in the middle, some 200 meters high.
Price: 1,500 Russian rubles, or € 17. Information:
skypark.ru
.
Read the file: Russia: the
Figaro
travel guide