The dispute continues in France over bridge construction work in the South of France. The two troubled bridges were supposed to span the Dordogne River and form part of a bypass carrying the D703 Route des Gabarriers around the village of Beynac.
The area is popular with tourists, with the medieval Chateau de Beynac located on a bend in the River Dordogne as well as the Chateau des Milandes (former home to Josephine Baker) nearby. The route carries heavy traffic in the summer and there have been concerns over traffic levels in Beynac and over road safety for many years.
Plans to build the bypass date back as far as 1985. Construction for the bypass, including the two bridge sections, commenced in 2018, but the project was halted due to a legal challenge based on concerns over the damage the work could cause to historic structures and the environment in the area.
Five piers for the bridges were built but were left unfinished and are now being demolished and removed, with this work having commenced on 19th January 2026 and expected to take until October 2026 to complete. So far €26 million has been spent on building the bypass, with a further €12 million now being spent on demolishing the structure again. Including the various legal penalties, starting to build the bypass and then having to knock it down again has cost the Department of Dordogne €40 million.
The legal case continues meanwhile, making profits for the legal profession at the expense of the public purse. And with the money spent so far, the problem continues of excessive traffic volumes and heavy vehicles travelling through Beynac on unsuitable roads.
