Morens Bridge

This is the first stone bridge in Annecy, built in the 13th century. It allowed the Alpine road from Geneva to Italy to cross the Thiou. Its name, Morens, comes from the word “demeurant”, meaning “wich stays put”, because unlike other wooden bridges, which were regularly washed away by floods, this one “remained” in place! At the time, the bridge was nothing like what you see today. You have to picture it supporting a group of houses, built in the end of the XIVth century, and even a chapel, all a bit shaky, which earned it the nickname of Château Branlant, the wobbly castle! In the 1880s, it was finally decided to demolish them in order to improve traffic flow along the quays as well as to bring more air and light to the neighbouring houses. If you find it hard to get an idea of what the place might have looked like in the past, you can find archive images on the web, as well as a painting by French painter Paul Cabau.