When "April 2025" Becomes "Soon... Maybe"
The Anne-de-Bretagne bridge is a bit like that party guest who says, "I’ll be there in five minutes," while still in the shower. Originally set to reopen in April 2025, the bridge will now be accessible "before the end of the year," according to Nantes-Métropole. That’s a pretty vague date that leaves room for all sorts of interpretations: late June? September? Christmas? 2026? The suspense is real...
This cloud of uncertainty is enough to make merchants from the neighboring areas grind their teeth as they watch their streets turn into commercial disaster zones. Meanwhile, drivers are still circling around, dreaming of the blessed day when they can once again cross the Loire without navigating a route that feels like the Tour de France circuit.
A Thriving Urban Jungle
Since the closure of the bridge in April 2024, cyclists and pedestrians have taken over the area, much to the dismay of drivers who have been relegated to mere spectators. “It’s..."it's become a jungle!" laments Éléonore Kurtz, president of the merchants' association of Quai de la Fosse. Between freewheeling bikes, daredevil scooters, and pedestrians zigzagging around, some older customers are now hesitating to venture into the area. Rumor has it that some have even considered taking up BMX to survive the journey.
@Nantes Métropole
A schedule as reliable as Breton weather
« Before, it was April; now it might be December... Maybe the bridge will be blocked until next year, who knows? », laughs a (in a yellow shirt) shopkeeper from the Lamoricière neighborhood. The shopkeepers have already brought out their bingo cards for construction delays and are placing bets on the next due date announced.
In the meantime, the town hall is trying to sweeten the deal by highlighting the compensations offered to affected shopkeepers. Out of the 200 merchants in the area, only 19 have received financial compensation so far. Not exactly enough to calm the most upset, who wonder if perhaps the best solution might be to open a canoe rental business to cross the Loire while they wait for the work to finish.
Towards a construction completion in 2027?
While shopkeepers are struggling and drivers are...rc;Coming from a shortcut to downtown, the construction of the Anne-de-Bretagne bridge continues. The final goal? A wider bridge, a new tram line, and (finally) smooth traffic. But that will be for 2027. In the meantime, patience... and good luck to those who still plan to cross the Loire without a compass and a survival guide.
