The Millau viaduct : Larzac’s Eiffel tower

The architectural elegance of the Millau viaduct, silhouetted against the sky at a height of more than three hundred metres is in keeping with its human, technical and financial success. However, the project had its fair share of opponents and doubters and involved making speculative choices. Jacques Godfrain, the mayor of Millau and MP (Member of Parliament) for the Aveyron département, who was involved in this project from the very beginning, talks about this venture as would an enthusiastic storyteller. In the space of a year, the viaduct has already greatly renewed the life of the region : the tremendous traffic jams have disappeared ; tourists now flock to the area in droves ; factories which had moved have returned to the area ; and even the number of births has increased ! However, these days it is important not to rest on our laurels. As mayor and an MP, and in an attempt to publicise this most recent asset, Jacques Godfrain explains how he finds inspiration for new ideas, steering a path between good fortune, clear vision, dreams and reality, and how he brings these ideas to life. The ideas include twinning Millau with a Spanish port town, creating an exhibition comparing Millau with the Suez Canal, and the construction of a theatre.