The Bridge That Changed the Map of Europe

[@TheB1M]

Don't just take our word for it. Head over to Odoo and get your first app for free! 👉 bit.ly/3OZ727a

[@XXPYR0XX]

whats fronce?

[@LeoNiehorster]

Why call it a viaduct and not a bridge?

[@DySeith17]

Millau pronounced Mee-yo ...

[@lapub.]

@@LeoNiehorster it's a matter of size, and some viaduct are call bridge even if they are viaduct the opposite is also true. But here it's technically a viaduct, lots of pillars and high

[@marthawolfsen5809]

@@DySeith17 It would be nice if the English realized the French speak French. My husband and I crossed the Millau in the first year or two the bridge was open. (We lived in Southwest France.) So I was really interested in this. Even so, the slaughter of the French language almost made me turn it off.

[@mikeycj]

That bridge is 20yrs already?! I was not prepared to be called old watching this.

[@Sireristof1332]

i felt that

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@Sireristof1332 You and me both!

[@Kamonohashiii]

(；´_ゝ`)

[@lethalnl]

i'm also old enough to have driven under it while it was under construction on the way so spain for a holiday. it saves so much goddamn time

[@ballyhigh11]

Must admit I gulped when I heard it's been open 20 years!

[@jibbebeckert7804]

Love the fact that its a Dutch car at 14:39 , always and everywhere youll find us on vacation.

[@Ruka-f7k]

Probably wearing socks and sandals too

[@LalaDepala_00]

​@@Ruka-f7kThat's German...

[@fuglbird]

Yes, it's scary. One more reason for the rest of us never to drive on that bridge.

[@Songbirdstress]

And being rude in the bakery...lol

[@TomSoftcar]

​@@fuglbirdsorry but what's the point of saying that

[@thestevenjaywaymusic7775]

I am British and live in France. I passed that area before the bridge was made, and it was a nightmare. Then again when they only had one pillar up. I did wonder what it was. Then, I found out and have crossed the bridge several times. A master work for anyone. Thanks for posting this. Tres bien.

[@PhilbyFavourites]

I remember following a small petrol tanker up the windy route on the southern side of the valley - I nearly choked on the diesel fumes. Halcyon days……

[@HonestMan112]

So youre an immigrant

[@robert-wr6md]

I used to cross the valley before the bridge, the road was a nice twisty drive, Millau was a fine place to stop for a coffee and stop at a garage for a new tyre. I never found the old road a problem.

[@MrMousley]

So am I and live in France too. Fascinating watching it being built. Still get nervous when driving over it, especially in winter. It makes the landscape. Can't believe it's 20 years old, where has the time gone to.

[@emielverbeeren8181]

@@robert-wr6md You can still drive that route. But for the millions of people just trying to reach their destination, it's better for everyone that traffic to Millau and traffic through Millau are separated.

[@stevewoodard527]

I'm a (retired) engineer, and this bridge is, in my opinion, the most significant and beautiful structure built since the Golden Gate. Well done!

[@kingbeam80ify]

Impressive yes, but beautiful.. you must love modern and minimalist/bland architecture.

[@blanco7726]

There are 7 of these in China now, Im sure they have one 500m tall and one 25km long.

[@cvbattum]

@@kingbeam80ify I disagree. I love complex and intricate and especially nice historic architecture but this bridge just hits something for me. Something about that simplicity and minimalism extended to such a gigantic scale hits different. I do agree it's minimalist but I don't agree that it's bland; I think it's actually super expressive.

[@desertigloo2383]

But there are 100 bridges like this one in Asia

[@brewen_lmrch]

​@@desertigloo2383 Not as tall

[@UlliStein]

Coming from Germany I had a roadtrip in France and I made a 100 miles detour just to drive over that bridge. It was definitely worth it, and the visitor center with the outlook is so beautiful. Thanks for the great memory!

[@misterscottintheway]

Lol so much for those emissions savings

[@UlliStein]

@@misterscottintheway Sorry, my fault. But there is much more to see there, Montpellier and Clermont-Ferrand are also beautiful.

[@misterscottintheway]

@@UlliStein not your fault. People drive to see things all the time. I just found it funny.

[@Toy0w0ta]

I also made a massive detour coming from the UK on my way down to Monaco. Coming down the A75 from the north and getting that first sighting of it way in the distance is a memory I'll never forget!

[@cr10001]

Coming from New Zealand, I did the same. Then took in Garabit, Eiffel's pioneering wrought iron arch bridge up the A75 to the north.

[@JulianBoyce]

Through pure luck and unexpected chance we drove across this wonderful viaduct on a journey from the UK to Spain a couple years ago. Having no idea that we were about to cross it you can imagine our excitement when it suddenly hove into view on the fabulous drive from the French side and onto the structure. Having been driving for 40+ years I can honestly say it was 2.4 kilometers of simply awe-inspiring and magnificent driving pleasure. On the way back we passed under the viaduct early on a clear winter's morning and found a boulangerie at the small town close by, and nearly underneath it. Again, some of the best coffee and croissants we have eaten while observing the viaduct catching the morning sunrise. Wonderful memories.

[@AaronLangford-j9f]

Cheers

[@sipjedekat8525]

Lord Foster seems like a man I could listen to for hours and not get bored.

[@jsimsgt96]

A brilliant mind indeed

[@TheB1M]

💯 he was incredible!

[@davidfinan7438]

How many people are there who can just casually say "I collaborated with Buckminster Fuller ..."

[@sipjedekat8525]

@@TheB1M congratulations. Must have been an inspiring interview!

[@niklashaase9085]

An overview over all his projects would be nice to see. Better even if Norman Forster would tell his thoughts about it, like in this Video.

[@danieltomasini6030]

Merci à Lord Foster d’avoir apporté son grand talent pour édifier ce bel ouvrage en France.

[@rexmann1984]

Everyone wants to talk avout the architect and the workers involved. Nobody stresses the surveyors who got both sides within millimeters. Well done gents. 👍

[@brutalwookie]

Well said. I am a surveyor and i visited back when it was being built and was very impressed on how it was all coming together.

[@rexmann1984]

@brutalwookie yeah, I don't think me and my Focus 35 would be able to pull that off. That's one hell of a traverse loop. 🤣

[@TreeHugg]

For real. Architects get to much respect for shit other people do.

[@UlliStein]

@@TreeHugg You always need both so both deserve respect.

[@juLLLe82]

As a surveyor myself I'm looking forward to visit and drive this bridge one day.

[@afterburner94]

Absolutely mental you did this interview for the 20th anniversary. viaduc de Millau is the pride of the region and rightly so. Its an epic adventure that is worth being known worldwide. Great job B1M!

[@jae4218]

It’s incredible how adaptive and creative human beings are. Like the sheer intelligence to create infrastructure like these is marvelous

[@Inyourbox-kr5uf]

That’s what set us apart from the other animals. It’s pretty amazing to think about

[@skyhawk-qb5rt]

you mean white Europeans

[@skyhawk-qb5rt]

the creature that built this viaduct shares 3.4% of it's DNA with Neanderthals for reference we share 70%of our DNA with Rats

[@BinneReitsma]

Well I don't see this happening by Africans 😅

[@jae4218]

@ well there are the pyramids of Giza. To delve into Africa’s development is a lot of history, geopolitics and economic discourse. So I won’t be delving into this today

[@Songbirdstress]

Never realised how incredible French civil engineers are. Worked with them many times, always enjoyed it. Lots of Polytechnicians. School founded by Napoleon .

[@pizza_diavola-bx4op]

very nice to hear Foster say how planets aligned to have this bridge built. Politics, architecture, engineering, building. And what he didn't mention, it was delivered on time, the construction phase went incredibly well. Congrats to Eiffage.

[@abbofun9022]

Whenever you have a chance visit the bridge, there’s a visitor centre, a restaurant and a brilliant viewing point. Will take your breath away, absolutely guaranteed. It even impressed and shut up my teenage daughters who couldn’t care less about construction or building 😉

[@varoonnone7159]

You've got hard hitting arguments 😅

[@Songbirdstress]

I want to visit the Pont du Gard, would make a great trip with the Millau Viaduc.

[@abbofun9022]

@ while you’re at it and on the A75 anyways, do check out the pont de Garabit. A beautiful Eiffel trainbridge from the old master himself. There’s a nice P on the A75 with a splendid view.

[@AlainDenis-pd1vl]

​@@Songbirdstress dans la région le viaduc de garabit est magnifique aussi et rouvert à la circulation des trains

[@MLWitteman]

I remember driving past this construction site, when I was a little kid in the backseat of my parent’s car. I really remember how massive, and impressive this was.

[@rj7855]

I travel over this bridge twice a Year... It's amazing how ordinary it seems when you drive over it.

[@BernardTheMandeville]

Except it keeps going, keeps going, and going… Aaaand you’re going off.

[@geoms6263]

can you walk the bridge?

[@Jonas-Seiler]

because driving kills your sense of wonder and connection to the world

[@tim..indeed]

You can't walk the bridge. There's a marathon across it once a year tho.

[@JonDoe-ln6nl]

I still hold my breath every time I cross the bridge. Literally breathtaking.

[@nates5703]

This is definitely one of the modern wonders of the world. Breathtaking innovation in construction.

[@krashd]

At one point but not any more, there are now bridges in China that surpass this in both length and height so they would have to be included if this one was and then the list of modern wonders gets out of hand.

[@walterb108]

As a French citizen I am so proud that we have this jewel in our country. Thank you for the nice video…

[@sjaguartype]

And it was designed by a Brit 👍

[@philv3941]

​@@sjaguartype so close to be perfect, damn it !

[@calahan59]

​@@florianseul la fameuse vénus 😂

[@ommsterlitz1805]

@@sjaguartype Designed by a computer to calculate the best form witch a brit took credit from

[@uncontented7433]

@@sjaguartype just its design (drawing) has been choosed among others , michel vilorgieux and eiffage (both french) made it possible with new technics but when u listen this video it almost looks like he decided to build this bridge or so and made it , ...that is as honest as the title

[@SleepyHollow1961]

His comment about the curvature and the effect it gives you is so true. It also has a slight slope to it. Building it straight and level would be hard enough but with the curve and slope it’s something else. I’ve driven over it quite a few times and it is always jaw dropping.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

I saw a documentary of Millau Viaduct in 2004. I made a personal pact to visit this bridge one day. Finally got the chance to ride across it and see it in person in 2017. It is incredible to view in person. The shot at 15:17 perfectly illustrates these points. It is one of the most beautiful bridges I’ve ever seen.

[@tattooedredheadx]

I watched the same episode. I think it was Megastructures? I liked it so much I still have the episode downloaded.

[@crustycurmudgeon2182]

I saw that too. Fascinating! Not just the engineering of the bridge, itself, but the innovation and fabrication of devices to extend and secure each new span section of the bridge to the preceding span-- and especially the joining span between the two halves of the bridge (yes: it was constructed from both sides of the valley simultaneously). So, not only was the bridge, itself, a work of art, so too was the technique used to construct it.

[@colormedubious4747]

@@tattooedredheadx I'm fairly certain that it was "Modern Marvels."

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@tattooedredheadx Yes! Though I think it was called Modern Marvels or something like that. I was 20 years old when it aired and I remember being absolutely FASCINATED with this.

[@lapub.]

If you have to pay to cross it every week, you'll surely find toll free bridge more beautiful !

[@GeekyMedia]

Oh this is superb. An interview with Norman Foster is an INSANE accomplishment for the channel!

[@olesteen8447]

-And the interview is an excellent one!

[@mickeyfilmer5551]

I remember vividly the queues through the small town of Millau, it used to take at least three or four hours at best. This bridge was just a godsend.

[@maxbarko8717]

I drove over that bridge in 2005 without knowing anything about it. But approaching and seeing it was awe-inspiring. A magnificent sculpture in a beautiful landscape.

[@madhavdhilip]

Form or function?? The Architect: yes

[@johnmoirangcha]

Exactly 🤣

[@Songbirdstress]

Actually, that's the French Polytechnical Engineering school way too. That's the one thing about France, the beauty of just any boring motorway/canal bridge. One of the things that struck me, the first time I came.

[@salahidin]

The bridge was completed on schedule and funded mostly through private means. Remarkably, the primary contribution came from the construction company Eiffage-the same company behind the Eiffel Tower-most of whose capital is owned by its employees.

[@Plutokta]

Also remarkably, not only was it completed on schedule (couple month ahead of schedule, if my memory serves me right), but below the budget! Which is extremely rare for a civil engineering project of that magnitude and complexity.

[@lukedaniel7669]

​@@Plutoktadidn't they have massive penalty clauses in the contract if they went over? I wish we could have that in the UK, force contractors to properly plan stuff before they start.

[@ЯрославЛ-ф1ж]

So the only private company paying for infrastructure is a communist one? Checks out.

[@Songbirdstress]

Another great realization is the glass in the Pyramid at the Louvre is made by the same company that made the mirrors for the Galerie des Glaces at Versailles.

[@fastnbulbouss]

@@lukedaniel7669 Yes there was a huge penalty if they went over....but also, if they finished before, the company could pocket the fees to cross the bridge . Great incentive to finish before time.

[@N911GT2]

I was so impressed when I drove this bridge. I was in my own sportscar with my wife next to me on our route to Spain... The dramatic lanscape before the bridge adds to it (coming from the north). It was a great addition to our trip!

[@extremechimpout]

😂

[@Voix1000x]

And then I woke up from my dream

[@GreenLeafUponTheSky]

The 1% be like

[@kortexounet]

It was very french from us to have the audacity to ask that man to do the impossible, and even more british of him to have the audacity to do it.

[@Hugo-cn9no]

When France and the UK meet in recent years it gave us : the Channel tunnel, Concorde, Millau Viaduct, what should we expect soon from the best cooperation in Europe or maybe of the world?

[@tsepheletseka5115]

Here in my home country of Lesotho they're busy constructing what will the tallest bridge in Africa when completed. According to computer graphics of the bridge when completed, it will have a similar cable stayed design to the Milau Bridge, albeit on a smaller scale. Perhaps you can cover it in a future video. I think it will make an interesting subject as it is also being constructed in a very challenging and extremely mountainous terrain.

[@the_catboi]

Unfortunately the Chinese have a bridge project that will top even that and many too come. with almost 650m above the ground.

[@Redrally]

I want to see that covered!

[@goldenghostinc]

​@@the_catboi Not everything is always about bigger. It is an important milestone for Africa and as such fully deserves coverage.

[@the_catboi]

@ nevermind I read tallest in the world. Not in Africa. And I never said it’s about the biggest either. It is certainly a milestone for the country and continent so I agree with you

[@carolinepronk853]

@@the_catboi Would that be called the Mee Lao Road Bridge? 🙂

[@Actor_bad24IK]

The suit Lord Foster is wearing portrays peak accomplishment.

[@krashd]

Crushed velvet, the man is a pimp 🤣

[@Samuel_J1]

Lord Foster has been an inspiration to me for years and I've loved so many of his designs. I'm a bit envious but also so pleased that you got to interview him. I had the pleasure of driving past this as a child in '03 or '04 though I didn't really know about it at the time and I'd love to go back to see it again at some point.

[@artykhaan]

As an inhabitant of Millau, I really appreciate to see a video about our bridge. However I would like to tell you that the prononciation of the name of my town is like "Miyo". It's written Millau because the old prononciation in occitan (the regional language wich was spoken until the 20th century) was different

[@UlliStein]

Is it really true that this bridge was controversial when it was planned? Unbelievalble from todays view.

[@artykhaan]

@@UlliStein Yes because as said in the video, people of the town were scared that it could be ugly for the landscape, and that no one would anymore stop in the town so it would be bad for the economy. Because the town was a little bit poor so it really mattered

[@UlliStein]

@@artykhaan Yes that's reasonable. But doesn't it have the Bilbao effect? Meaning a major attration pulls people into the region? I drove down from the observation area to Millau and Creissels, had lunch and fueled up. I wouldn't have done that without the bridge. And I know there are areas that hate it when too many tourists roll over the area. How did that turn out to be? Thanks!

[@artykhaan]

@@UlliStein Yeah the firsts years it had that bilbao effect, with really a lot of tourists. Now it slowed down but effectively the situation is way better for the town than before the bridge was built. And everyone recognize this

[@UlliStein]

@@artykhaan So nice to hear that, thanks! Also good to hear that I didn't annoy anyone during my short visit ;-)

[@warrenwerks]

This is what I love about this channel. Somehow I’ve never even heard of this bridge and am astonished at the scale and uniqueness of it. Always a pleasure to watch

[@heistmoney7923]

I was 13 or 14 when I first watched a documentary on how they built this. I think it made me fall in love with infrastructure and architecture

[@clementboquet]

Technically in french, the double "L" in "Millau" is pronounced as a "Y," like "Miyo".

[@tompoynton]

came here to say the same

[@ballyhigh11]

'Massive Central' made me wince.

[@gmgianluigi]

Lord Foster himself pronounced it correctly at the end of the video 16:12

[@florianseul]

maintenant il faut l'appeler "Milao" 😂

[@Dudenier]

Then why wasnt it written as Miyo

[@markmazza135]

This bridge is other worldly. The scale is just epic. It’s a monument that leaves you speechless. The designers, the construction crew, everyone involved did an absolutely stunning job… a mind blowing breathtaking job! BRAVO!

[@3618499]

🤩 ‘ C’EST MAGNIFIQUE! ‘ 🇫🇷 France has yet another marvelous landmark.

[@erich3784]

Well, that's what we do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@luckygame8718]

Quand les anglais et les Français travaillent ensemble ça donne le Viaduc de Millau, le tunnel sous la Manche et le Corcorde ! 🇨🇵🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@smal750]

N'importe quoi supprime golmon

[@DrapSaG_09]

I drive on this bridge quite often, and this is such a beautiful road and it's even better when you see it from the bottom of the valley. You can pay 10€ for the viaduc or choose the road that is 30 minutes longer crossing Millau

[@chrisb903]

Indeed, if you're concerned about time, stay on the motorway across the viaduct but the old road in and out of the valley and through Millau (particularly south of the town) is a spectacular drive in its own right and just as enjoyable now the traffic jams have gone

[@joshbentley3108]

as an engineer student, when i backpacked through Europe from Australia, i had to go see this bridge, and it truely was beautiful, a photo of it now hangs in my bedroom

[@skyfeelan]

I've been really fascinated by this viaduct since I was a little kid

[@ralphaverill2001]

Once again we see that human beings can work together and create astoundingly beautiful and useful things. Nothing is impossible. One wonders why we also waste so much time and resources quibbling and fighting with each other.

[@mullraerae299]

The problem lies in the fact that the resources of the world are owned by a tiny minority and are only used when a profit can be realised, no profit, no bridge.

[@marcor18a]

"We couldn't build the pyramids today"

[@jur4x]

As someone who works in stone industry and been to Marmomac, I can say we can. And probably in less than 5 years. But who's going to pay for it?

[@Petitmoi74]

@@jur4x The egyptians of course.

[@diogomm710]

With their blood, again, ​@@Petitmoi74 Am I right?

[@cocolasticot9027]

​@@Petitmoi74 😂

[@hello7elevenkitty]

Yes, we could, because we have advanced tech and machinery. But how they did that if they were as primitive as official narrative says?

[@markpitts5194]

I went on holiday just to see it. both ways under and over. Way more impressive from under. Lovely town under, go get some lunch! Fantastic views from the 'old' road.

[@bataviushiggins5627]

"... floated down the Rhine..."? Rhone, perhaps?

[@nocona]

Even better, the line on the map goes up the river Rhine all the way to the source in the Swiss Alps in the Gotthard Region, then jumps to the source of the Rhone and all the way down the Rhone. 😅

[@Gachette00]

They probably took both the Rhone and the Rhine, there are channels linking them

[@Petitmoi74]

It's only now that I'm noticing how similar the names of these two rivers are, probably a common root.

[@joestrike8537]

@Gachette00 there doesn't seem to be any Rhyme or Rheason to it!

[@ThaJay]

@@Petitmoi74 They may seem similar in English, but in reality they're not. Rine is pronounced like brine, whine Rhone is pronounced like Ron ah

[@kentsawatzky4252]

I'm not a construction person but I love watching your channel. You need to come do a story about i-70 through the mountains of Colorado. The history of it and what they're doing with it now upgrading a huge section of it what the future of it is. One of the most underrated stretches of highway in the world

[@riccriccardoricc]

12:10 I'm not sure they would have taken the bridge sections through the sources of these two rivers in the Swiss Alps, but rather used the Rhône-Rhine canal in France.

[@HoennMaster]

I’ve watched the Megastructures documentary on the Millau Viaduct many times, it’s so insane to think of what all had to be done to make it a reality. It’s such a fascinating and beautiful bridge.

[@michaelomahony2106]

I have driven across the viaduct several times and still stop at the visitor center to admire this breathtaking structure.

[@Benjybass]

Excellent documentary. BTW, Millau is pronouced "Me-oh", just in case you ask a French citizen how to get there. Even Foster says it correctly at 16:15.

[@florianseul]

maintenant il faut l'appeler "Milao" 😂

[@pietromacarovpierremac4908]

More liké "me yo"

[@bobibest89]

I have driven over that bridge. It really is an impressive piece of engineering. A highway in the sky being supported by very elegant and slender towers. The whole structure feels very light yet very strong.

[@prothello]

We cross the viaduct twice a year and it's a halfway highlight of our trip.

[@tylero8595]

Interviewing Norman Foster solidifies your place in the world of architecture. Congratulations.

[@llamedosr7843]

What a nice bloke.

[@mrbbqcraig]

There isn't a single KZbin channel that can give so much pleasure to watch, every single video is astounding, informative & of course narrated so well ❗☀️ Cheers to you B1M team 🤟✨

[@Akhil007PP]

I still remember watching a documentary about Millau Viaduct in "Big Bigger Biggest" shoe in National Geographic channel back in mid 2000s. One of my childhood memories which invoked an interest for construction and architecture in me.

[@youyou9081]

M. Virlogeux is my bridge teacher and this man is just one of the best engineers in the world. He designed true masterpieces

[@joshua.910]

This guy is precisely the kind of person I want in the House of Lords.

[@bearcubdaycare]

Lovely bridge, and a great Buckminster Fuller quote.

[@fredio54]

I love his accent and way of speaking. There's a deep earned confidence and articulation that exposes it. An exquisite individual, indeed.

[@DignifiedDestitution]

I can’t pinpoint why this video was so good, above almost all the other videos on yt but I found myself smiling the whole video. It just gave me such a positive and uplifting feeling. Who knew a bridge could pose so many happy emotions. You do such fantastic work. Keep it up!

[@ce1834]

In the UK, planning permission would take 30 years, “spoiling their views, carbon costs” and would get paused, restarted, costs multiplied and then cancelled. Infrastructure in the UK is embarrassing compared to its peers in the continent

[@amiral_penguin]

yeah, it would pretty much be like this nowadays in France as well...

[@Maitch3000]

I saw the last episode of Grand tour in which Jeremy Clarkson pondered how the British could build a giant rail line across Africa 100 years ago, but these days cannot build a rail connection from London to Manchester. What happened?

[@ballyhigh11]

@@amiral_penguin Have there been problems with the Grand Paris Express, because that's a pretty incredible infrastructure project.

[@KyrilPG]

​@@amiral_penguin No it's not like that in France nowadays. The Grand Paris Express is a good example of monumental infrastructure advancing quite straightforwardly. You're confusing kinda useless new highway projects like the A69, that are rightfully opposed, with actually useful and architecturally stunning ones. The great Dordogne rail viaduct for the LGV SEA, which opened in 2016, is another example.

[@St0rrrm]

at least it seems to me from an outsider's view that the UK is good at building large football stadiums

[@guzziwheeler]

It is an impressing sight when you drive on the "autoroute" and the viaduct appears at the horizon when you are still 30km/20miles away from it.

[@awesomereviews1561]

Some wrong informations: On the scale of France, Millau isn’t a village. It’s a city. To be classified as a village you need less than 2000 habitants. Millau has over 21 000 habitants. Ten times over the limit…

[@n0rmal953]

Im still amazed every time I pass over this bridge. I loved it as a kid. Im in my twenties so I’ve only known the trip to the south passing on it,

"A picturesque village"... shows city bigger than 80% of cities in my country.

[@ballyhigh11]

Yeah, it's definitely not a village but more a small town. The population of the commune is c.20K

[@KyrilPG]

Technically, Millau is also larger than 80% of French municipalities (and probably the same in most European countries). There are only about 500 municipalities, out of approximately 36,000 in France, that have 20,000 or more inhabitants. (And about 740 agglomerations over 20k inhabitants). Slightly more than half of all municipalities have less than 500 people. What country are you from?

[@musuko42]

"A picturesque village", shows small town. "Can be seen from space", which is meaningless unless you're meaning 'by the naked eye', and if the bridge can be seen then so can any regular road of the same width. "Few hundred miles away" = 400 miles...slightly stretching the meaning of "a few" in my book. Did an AI help write this script?

[@plumebrise4801]

@@ballyhigh11 In France ,the definition of are : Village = Less than 2 000 habitants (Rural) Small City = Between 2 000 and 20 000 habitants Medium City = Between 20 000 and 200 000 habitants Big City = More than 200 000 habitants Mega City/Megapole = More than 10 Millions habitants in it's agglomeration + overwhelming share of job being in the tertiary sector in the City Proper + City who receive the biggest amount of tourist in the country (Last criteria make it so only one city can be considered in the Mega class ,per country) ,there are only 4 city like this in the world ,in the order of which they gained the status :New York ;Tokyo ;London ;Paris and in 2019 ,it was theorized that the next city to achieve this status would be Shanghai ,because the number of tourist would soon surpass Beijing ,which has too many jobs in the secondary Secondary sector to be considered Mega City ,well that's for the French definition ,for the English definition of a Megapole ,you only need the 1st criteria ,not the remaining 2 and before 2018 it was only 8 millions habitants needed officially ,not 10 millions (For the English definition) ,some other people put the figure required at 5 Millions habitants instead . The definition of rural differ from country ,in France ,82% of the population is considered urban ,in the UK ,it's 85% and in Germany ,78% ,you would think those are similar number ,right ? But not really ,in France ,you need more than 2 000 habitants for it to be considered urban ,while in the UK ,you need 10 000 ,and in Germany ,you only need 150 Population of the commune of Millau by year : 1793 :6 070 1800 :6 077 1806 :6 523 1821 :8 070 1831 :9 806 1836 :10 450 1841 :9 014 1846 :9 556 1851 :10 041 1856 :10 150 1861 :12 636 1866 :13 663 1872 :15 095 1876 :15 695 1881 :16 628 1886 :16 139 1891 :17 429 1896 :18 754 1901 :18 701 1906 :18 482 1911 :17 673 1921 :15 528 1926 :15 936 1931 :16 190 1936 :16 437 1946 :17 678 1954 :19 209 1962 :21 229 1968 :22 595 1975 :21 907 1982 :21 695 1990 :21 788 1999 :21 339 2006 :22 133 2009 :22 013 2011 :21 626 2014 :22 064 2016 :22 200 2020 :21 482 2021 :21 712

[@alioshax7797]

​@@musuko42I ticked too. With modern technologies, a tennis ball can be seen from space as well.

[@JasonMohammed]

You did an amazing job to include words from the original Architect, it brings a lot more meaning to the topic at hand. I truly rare treat for even this channel, thank you.

[@timbabb2508]

Any chance of releasing the full uncut interview with Foster? I could listen to him talk about this for hours.

[@ValQuinn]

Driving up Pont de Normandie feels like you're in Mario Kart. That they upped it with a bigger bridge is legendary. I wish Britain had the confidence to do things like this still. Chapeau aux français, d'un anglais ! (Edit: French grammar, grrr)

[@thibautnarme6402]

Some corrections: 1) Millau ain't a village, it's a town, if not a small city as per the satellite images and the fact that it has some 20k inhabitants. 2) It's pronounced Mi-yo, easily checkable on the Internet 3) No nobody would do the north-south trip through the Massif Central before the late 90's, the Rhone valley highways where much faster 4) By the early 2000's the route had became feasible thanks to the sprout of highways (some with unsane gradients nonetheless), and yes the town was a real bottleneck but traffic never got as bad as 5 hours to cross the town, maybe 2 on the worst days.

[@LarsTheOctopus]

I remember driving on it a few years ago. True justice cannot be made to how it *dominates* the landscape, even when you are kilometres from it. It shone at the horizon, like a white-gray mystical structure piercing through the land, its scale could not be exaggerated.

[@davidjgill4902]

If you are wondering, PURPLE VELVET suits are surprisingly common among British architects.

[@pehash]

Lool

[@scappley1735]

Lord Foster did an amazing job. I could look at the landscape and I wouldn't even notice the bridge the first time.

[@makattak88]

Always a good day when The B1M uploads a new video!!

[@Tclans]

Such a profound peice or argitectural art. This talk gives it so much depth, love all those little snippets of trivia are just awesome piece by piece.

[@PlatypusWWK]

I remember very well how strong the opposition to this project was... It took a lot of efforts to bring it to the success it is.

[@jameshawe]

Brilliant video. I remember when I heard this was being built. Amazing. Can’t believe it’s 20 years old when you see the viaduct for the first time it takes your breath away

[@garethelvin6451]

Interviewing the greatest architect of our time... Im so proud of how far this channel has come. Big up the B1M

[@toff88600]

Bravo to Norman Foster's pencil, but we must not forget the engineer Michel Vilogeux who made such a feat possible. In all construction projects it is the engineer who makes things possible.

[@JeffDeWitt]

That bridge is the greatest example of modern French art I know of. It's beautiful, an amazing accomplishment, and the French have every right to be proud of it.

[@joshmckenzie7526]

British art in France

[@jmbig]

​@@joshmckenzie7526oui. Mais si le design n'avait pas plu. Il n'aurait pas été choisi ... Et peut-être que quelqu'un d'autre aurait été sélectionné, donc, le goût du client est déterminant dans le choix. Pas celui de l'architecte ...☝️😌😄😄

[@stepanzadorozhny3823]

Just look at a sincere joy when Lord Foster is talking about it

[@stewiewonder2601]

"Until you see the real thing, you never know" - that's the beautiful sentence summarizing all kinds of visualizations we see.

[@opalyankaBG]

This is B1M's best episode ever. A delight to watch!

[@EmilyBieman]

I’m glad he mentioned in his interview the bit about how some people opposed the bridge, but then after it was done said that they were wrong. Seems to me in today’s world of debate, everyone opposes everything, even if it’s the best idea in the world.

[@jmbig]

Les gens étaient aussi opposés à la construction de la tour eiffel et elle devait être détruite après l'exposition universelle .... Aujourd'hui, qui imaginerait Paris sans elle ? 😄😄

[@EmilyBieman]

@@jmbig oh no, I saw some of the other design put forward, along with the Eiffel Tower, and in my opinion, they were better choices that did not win the contract! 😁

[@jmbig]

@@EmilyBieman oui ... J'ai également vu les autres propositions ... Et elles étaient affreuses !! Heureusement que c'est la tour eiffel qui a gagné !! 😅😅

[@colh7922]

Excellent video. Extremely well put together with great references and a touch of humour. Well done. Pleasure to have watched it..

[@badscrew4023]

Someone from the insurance industry told me this bridge has never been 100% insured during its construction: no company would "risk" insuring it!

[@basvoer-qp7qw]

I was surprised this video is only 2 days old. I have seen documentaries about it years ago. I have crossed several time on my way to the south. It is a marvel indeed and well worth a detour.

[@Strykenine]

Really great episode guys. Interviewing Lord Foster must have been interesting!

[@I_AM_G_FORCE]

I drove over that driving to Spain last year. It has screens so you can't look straight down but it is still amazing

[@ShadeCandle]

Interesting. I always thought that, apart from the Alps and Pyrenees, France was relatively flat. The massif area looks beautiful.

[@JonDoe-ln6nl]

The Massif Central is, IMHO, the most varied and beautiful region of France.

[@Misterjingle]

Jura, Vosges, Provence, French Riviera, Morvan... 40% of the French territory is actually mountainous. I live in the French Alps, and if I drive to Bordeaux or Strasbourg It's mostly mountains or hills. But yeah, If I go to Paris, It's mostly flat.

[@BB-un2ts]

@@Misterjingleeven Paris is not flat.

[@DecalageChope]

Not really, to sum up the geography of France you've got a fairly flat half, with the great European plain running through the west and north, but everything else is more or less contrasting relief.

[@edvardmunch6344]

Thank you Lord Foster and all the construction teams for this magnificient piece of infrastructure and engineering

[@terrys1700]

Great channel

[@jaerockchalk3216]

superb content as always . thanks B1M! Merry Christmas from Canada

[@paulf9487]

As for being visible from space, the resolution of spy satellites is such that pretty small things are visible from space.

[@krashd]

Yeah, but that's like saying individual bacteria are visible from several feet away. Only true if you use a microscope.

[@theWSt]

Thank you so much for this video! This is the first documentary I've seen not only talking about how tall this bridge is and how it was built, but also how beautiful it is. 😍

[@davemarsh6912]

The road, landscape and engineering leading to it is also a fantistic feat of engineering - dont let it fall from your bucket list

[@icoshiyaka]

The Millau Viaduct has been my favourite bridge since I started taking bridge construction modules in my Master's of Civil engineering. I am so glad that i was able to visit the bridge in July this year. It was a trully mesmerising outlook and especially rewarding after the 1 hour long hike in the July heat. Looking forward to passing it on a road trip some day,

[@XBotticelli]

The one ho should have been more mentioned in this video is the engineer Michel Virlogeux ho is the true mastermind behind this masterpiece, look at his work on the Normandie bridge.

[@khaelamensha3624]

It was himm too? Crossed Normandie bridge but not Millau

[@cyclotronbxl]

Désolé de casser votre plaisir, et je ne voudrais pas rabaisser le talentueux ingénieur qu’est Mr Virlogieux, mais en l’occurence c’est le Bureau Greisch qui a assumé toute la complexité ingénierie du viaduc. Ainsi que le lançage et tout ce qui y référait. Tout le monde pensait que c’était impossible et qu’il fallait réaliser le tablier en béton. C’est le Bureau Greisch qui a conclu à la faisabilité d’un tablier en acier. Et c’est l’université qui a suivi et coordonné le positionnement du lançage.

[@XBotticelli]

@@cyclotronbxl Le pont de Normandie a un tablier en acier (avec dalle béton pré contrainte) . Tout ce qui a été fait sur le viaduc de Millau avait déjà été testé avant. Et Greisch travaille régulièrement avec Virlogeux.

[@cyclotronbxl]

@ C’est Virlogieux lui-même qui a insisté et affirmé dans toutes les interviews que tout le monde disait que c’était impossible, et ce, en compagnie d’un des acteurs principal de Eiffel Du coup, c’est assez logique d’en déduire que cela n’avait pas été fait avant. Je ne sais pas si Michel Virlogieux fait partie de la confédération française de la construction métallique, mais c’est eux qui ont demande une étude de faisabilité du tablier en acier après que « tout le monde » (je ne sais pas qui est inclu dans cette affirmation) avait dit que c’était impossible. En tout les cas, la documentation sur ce qu’a réalisé le Bureau Greisch est très complète et disponible sur le net.

[@nadchan2043]

I take this bridge every once and a while and I can confirm it's literaly "in the clouds" whenever the weather is cloudy. It's a fun experience either way. The view approaching it from the north side still takes my breath away everytime, and it has almost nothing to do with the whooping 13€ fee to take it (in the touristic season, 10€ in the winter).

[@rafaelperalta1676]

Almost cried during the last few minutes of the video. This is beyond inspirational.

[@knightwolf200612]

I loved this bridge from the beginning. Have seen many construction video's and documentaries about it. Great interview with this gentleman, not seen him before. Going to this marvel is still on my bucket list! It's quite some drive from the Netherlands.