D'où vient le nom du pont de Madame de Maintenon ?

De Madame de Maintenon, épouse morganatique de Louis XIV, que la tradition locale dit née à Sinnamary en 1635.

Quand le pont a-t-il été construit ?

C'est un pont Bailey monté en 1956 et ouvert à la circulation en 1958. Avant lui, la traversée se faisait en pirogue.

Le pont est-il toujours utilisé ?

Oui. Fermé en 2015 pour raisons de sécurité, il a été restauré puis rouvert à la circulation des véhicules le 20 février 2023.

Comment est construit le pont ?

C'est un pont Bailey : une structure métallique démontable de 140 mètres, et non un ouvrage en pierre.

Culture & patrimoine★ Free accessSinnamary

Le Pont de Madame de Maintenon

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Overview

The Pont de Madame de Maintenon spans the Sinnamary river, in the town of the same name. It is not a masonry structure but a Bailey bridge: a 140-metre demountable steel span, erected in 1956 and opened to traffic in 1958. Before that, the river was crossed by canoe.

Why Visit

The bridge is part of the Sinnamary landscape and offers a clear view over the river. Its metal frame contrasts with the concrete structures along the RN1 and recalls the era when opening up western French Guiana meant building one bridge at a time.

History

The bridge is named after Madame de Maintenon, morganatic wife of Louis XIV, whom local tradition holds was born in Sinnamary in 1635. Its construction was driven by Roland Verderosa, mayor of the commune from 1953 to 1977: the deck went up in 1956 and the bridge opened two years later. For decades it carried the road link between Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni through the town. Closed in 2015 on safety grounds, it was restored over several years and reopened to vehicle traffic on 20 February 2023.