France road going under water. An amazing road that goes under water twice a day. Reason for the formation of the road

Passage du Gois is a tidal road in the Bay of Bournieuf, connecting the island of Noirmoutier with mainland France. Twice a day, for an hour or two, the flow of water recedes and the road becomes visible and accessible to traffic. The rest of the time it is flooded to a level of 1-4 meters and cannot be used.

Let's find out more about it...

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Although similar roads exist in other places (such as Jindo County in Korea), the uniqueness of Passage du Gua lies in its exceptional length - 4.5 km. In the 18th century the road was much longer because the old dams were located much further from the coast.

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Initially, the only way to reach Noirmoutier was by boat. But one day, Bournieuf Bay gradually receded, forming a road as a natural path to the island. The passage connecting the mainland with the island was first mentioned on maps in 170

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Some time later, in 1840, additional supports were installed and a major cobblestone road was built. It was possible to move along it both on horseback and by car. And in 1971, a bridge was built connecting the island with the mainland.

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Crossing the road is considered very risky. Although the tide times are accurately marked on both sides of the road on large signs, the water comes in very quickly high level, and many visitors fall into the trap every year. Special rescue towers are located throughout the Passage du Gois. You can climb on them and wait until it comes down big water. But the cars will no longer be saved...

Photo 6.

At low tide, hundreds of tourists and locals come here for a walk. The road also attracts shellfishers, who collect shellfish right on the sand after low tide. Since 1986, the unusual Foulis du Gois race has been held through the Passage. In 1999 there was a stage bicycle race Tour de France.

Photo 7.

Passage du Gois connects the island of Noirmoutier (which means “Black Monastery”) with the Vendée department, which belongs to the French mainland. In 830, a castle was built on the island to protect against Viking attacks, which was completely reconstructed in the 12th century. In this form, it has been well preserved to this day, although it was repeatedly raided by the British and Spaniards. Now this one old castle included in the list historical monuments France and is used as a museum. Nowadays, a large amount of salt is mined on the island and the elite variety of potatoes “La Bonnotte” is grown, a kilogram of which costs 500 euros. Luxury villas, Pine forest and numerous mimosa bushes make the island a wonderful holiday destination.

Photo 8.

Once upon a time, the only way to get to Noirmoutier was by boat. And then Bourneuf Bay gradually exposed its muddy bottom and formed a road that allowed people and animals to freely cross the bay to get to the island. In 1701, the passage connecting the mainland to the island was mapped for the first time. But the first mention of it in texts dates back to 843, when Norman prisoners held on Noirmoutier escaped across a sandbank at the meeting point of two currents. Since about 1840, the road has been regularly used by cars or horses. In 1971, a bridge was built connecting the island with the mainland, which became alternative way get to the island of Noirmoutier, but Passage du Gois still did not lose popularity.

Photo 9.

This curious object was formed due to the destruction of the plateau, which contributed to the formation of Bourneuf Bay. For thousands of years, two currents from the north and south collided in the bay, resulting in the deposition of silt. It moved constantly until about a hundred years ago it settled down and formed a strong and stable structure.

Photo 10.

Later, work was carried out to install supports, during which cobblestones were also laid to prevent the movement of sand. Almost the entire road is now covered with asphalt, but there are sections of cobblestones that are quite slippery. In addition, one of the main dangers is fog, which can easily lead you astray.

Photo 11.

Driving on the road is generally considered a rather risky activity. Although the tide times have been accurately marked on large signs on either side of the Passage du Gois as far back as 1830, the water is rising at an incredible rate and many boaters are trapped every year. Tall wooden lifeguard towers line the Passage du Goix to help those caught between tides. The depth of water, even in seemingly safe shallows, can sharply increase to four meters. People who find themselves on the road at the wrong moment can climb these towers and wait until they are rescued (there are rescue boats on the island specifically for this purpose), or until the tide runs out again.

Photo 12.

At low tide, hundreds of tourists and locals make hiking, ride around or just drive through the Passage du Gois. The road also attracts many shellfishers, especially after low spring tides, when large expanses of sand open up, rich in all kinds of shellfish. Local residents take buckets, shovels, baskets and collect shells, shrimp and oysters.

Photo 13.

In 1942, the road itself, the dam, warning signs and buoys were designated as historical monuments. Since 1986, the Foulis du Gois race has been held on this road every year. And in 1999, the Tour de France cycling race was even held at Passage du Goix.

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Passage du Gois is a tidal road in the Bay of Bournieuf, connecting the island of Noirmoutier with mainland France. Twice a day, for an hour or two, the flow of water recedes and the road becomes visible and accessible to traffic. The rest of the time it is flooded to a level of 1-4 meters and cannot be used.

Although similar roads exist in other places (such as Jindo County in Korea), the uniqueness of Passage du Gua lies in its exceptional length - 4.5 km. In the 18th century the road was much longer because the old dams were located much further from the coast.

Initially, the only way to reach Noirmoutier was by boat. But one day, Bournieuf Bay gradually receded, forming a road as a natural path to the island. The passage connecting the mainland with the island was first mentioned on maps in 170

Some time later, in 1840, additional supports were installed and a permanent cobblestone road was built. It was possible to move along it both on horseback and by car. And in 1971, a bridge was built connecting the island with the mainland.

Crossing the road is considered very risky. Although the tide times are accurately marked on both sides of the road on large signs, the water rises very quickly to high levels and many visitors are trapped every year. Special rescue towers are located throughout the Passage du Gois. You can climb on them and wait until the high water recedes. But the cars will no longer be saved...

At low tide, hundreds of tourists and locals come here for a walk. The road also attracts shellfishers, who collect shellfish right on the sand after low tide. Since 1986, the unusual Foulis du Gois race has been held through the Passage. In 1999, a stage of the Tour de France cycling race took place here.

Passage du Gois connects the island of Noirmoutier (which means “Black Monastery”) with the Vendée department, which belongs to the French mainland. In 830, a castle was built on the island to protect against Viking attacks, which was completely reconstructed in the 12th century. In this form, it has been well preserved to this day, although it was repeatedly raided by the British and Spaniards. Now this ancient castle is included in the list of historical monuments of France and is used as a museum. Nowadays, a large amount of salt is mined on the island and the elite variety of potatoes “La Bonnotte” is grown, a kilogram of which costs 500 euros. Luxurious villas, pine forests and numerous mimosa bushes make the island a wonderful holiday destination.

Once upon a time, the only way to get to Noirmoutier was by boat. And then Bourneuf Bay gradually exposed its muddy bottom and formed a road that allowed people and animals to freely cross the bay to get to the island. In 1701, the passage connecting the mainland to the island was mapped for the first time. But the first mention of it in texts dates back to 843, when Norman prisoners held on Noirmoutier escaped across a sandbank at the meeting point of two currents. Since about 1840, the road has been regularly used by cars or horses. In 1971, a bridge was built connecting the island with the mainland, which became an alternative way to get to the island of Noirmoutier, but Passage du Gois still did not lose popularity.

This curious object was formed due to the destruction of the plateau, which contributed to the formation of Bourneuf Bay. For thousands of years, two currents from the north and south collided in the bay, resulting in the deposition of silt. It moved constantly until about a hundred years ago it settled down and formed a strong and stable structure.

Later, work was carried out to install supports, during which cobblestones were also laid to prevent the movement of sand. Almost the entire road is now covered with asphalt, but there are sections of cobblestones that are quite slippery. In addition, one of the main dangers is fog, which can easily lead you astray.

Driving on the road is generally considered a rather risky activity. Although the tide times have been accurately marked on large signs on either side of the Passage du Gois as far back as 1830, the water is rising at an incredible rate and many boaters are trapped every year. Tall wooden lifeguard towers line the entire Passage du Gois to help those caught between tides. The depth of water, even in seemingly safe shallows, can sharply increase to four meters. People who find themselves on the road at the wrong moment can climb these towers and wait until they are rescued (there are rescue boats on the island specifically for this purpose), or until the tide runs out again.

At low tide, hundreds of tourists and locals hike, circle or simply drive through Passage du Gois. The road also attracts many shell-seekers, especially after low spring tides, when large expanses of sand open up, rich in all kinds of shellfish. Local residents take buckets, shovels, baskets and collect shells, shrimp and oysters.

In 1942, the road itself, the dam, warning signs and buoys were designated as historical monuments. Since 1986, the Foulis du Gois race has been held on this road every year. And in 1999, the Tour de France cycling race was even held at Passage du Goix.











































Transport arteries that are buried in water and mud are unlikely to surprise anyone today, because due to natural disasters

Transport arteries that are buried in water and mud are unlikely to surprise anyone today, because due to natural disasters, more than 1,000 roads on different continents of the planet are flooded within just one year.

But the road discussed in this article is truly unusual.

(Passage du Gois) is not just another route created by man for comfortable movement, it is a road created by nature itself. It is located in France and connects the continental part of the state with the island of Noirmoutier (“Black Monastery”), passing through the Bay of Bournieuf.

The history of this unusual phenomenon goes back to the 1st millennium AD. According to the chronicles, at that time there was a prison on the island of Noirmoutier. Once captured Normans were placed in it, and what was the surprise of the authorities when it was discovered that they had disappeared. The cause of the disappearance was considered to be an escape from the island, carried out along a sand spit washed up by two currents. Then, in 834, this road created by nature was first mentioned. Before this, the only way to get to the island was by boat. Later, the spit began to be used as a land road to the island. And already in 1701 this a natural phenomenon

was mapped as a full-fledged overland route from the Vendée (department of France) to Noirmoutier. Over time, the natural road was strengthened with stone paving stones; horses began to ride along it, and later – cars. A special feature of this road is its “mode of operation”: it remains under water almost 24 hours a day, and at a considerable depth (from 2 to 4 meters). And only the morning and evening low tides make it possible to walk or drive along the Passage du Gois. The road is also unique in its length - 4.5 km, which is 1.7 km longer than the road

"Miracle of Moses" in South Korea. The unusual road gained its popularity among tourists for many reasons. Firstly, this is a kind of attraction: if you did not have time to get to land in time, then the rapidly flowing water will force you to very quickly climb onto specially equipped towers. These towers serve as escape islands for those tourists who do not pay attention to the huge signs installed on both sides of the entrance to the Passage du Gois. It is on these signs that it is indicated safe stay on the road. And those who do not have time to get to the shore by car are very unlucky - the water level quickly rises, flooding the car. Drivers are simply forced to flee to the nearest tower. By the way, both on the island side and on the mainland side there are special rescue posts where specialists are on duty to help tourists “stuck” on the towers get to land. As usual, rescuers take from 3 to 10-12 such extreme sports enthusiasts per day on special boats.

The second reason for the popularity of Passage du Gois is the island of Noirmoutier itself. This small piece of land is rich in attractions: a Viking castle (the castle is well preserved and is now a museum), huge plantations of expensive elite potatoes “La Bonnotte” (for 1 kg of a vegetable of this variety they ask from 450 to 600 euros), and there are also many luxurious ones on the island villas for rent and very beautiful scenery.

Although a full-fledged bridge was built in 1971, which allows easy access from the island to the island and vice versa, Passage du Gois remains the most popular road on Noirmoutier.

Interesting fact: the Passage du Gois hosts an annual stage of the running championship “les Foulées du Gois”; in 1999, the famous Tour de France was even held here.

Passage du Gois is a road in Bourneuf Bay that surfaces only twice a day, during low tides, but nevertheless remains very popular - we'll tell you why.

Passage du Gois connects the island of Noirmoutier (which means “Black Monastery”) with the Vendée department, which belongs to the French mainland. In 830, a castle was built on the island to protect against Viking attacks, which was completely reconstructed in the 12th century. In this form, it has been well preserved to this day, although it was repeatedly raided by the British and Spaniards. Now this ancient castle is included in the list of historical monuments of France and is used as a museum. Nowadays, a large amount of salt is mined on the island and the elite variety of potatoes “La Bonnotte” is grown, a kilogram of which costs 500 euros. Luxurious villas, pine forests and numerous mimosa bushes make the island a wonderful holiday destination.

Twice a day, for one or two hours, the water recedes, and the road to the island becomes accessible to traffic. The rest of the day it is under water at a depth of 1.3 to 4 meters. Although tidal roads like Passage du Gua can be found in other places (there is one in Jindo County in Korea), it can be considered unique. This uniqueness lies in its exceptional length - 4.5 kilometers. And in the 18th century, this road was even larger - the old dams were even further from the coast.

Once upon a time, the only way to get to Noirmoutier was by boat. And then Bourneuf Bay gradually exposed its muddy bottom and formed a road that allowed people and animals to freely cross the bay to get to the island. In 1701, the passage connecting the mainland to the island was mapped for the first time. But the first mention of it in texts dates back to 843, when Norman prisoners held on Noirmoutier escaped across a sandbank at the meeting point of two currents. Since about 1840, the road has been regularly used by cars or horses. In 1971, a bridge was built connecting the island with the mainland, which became an alternative way to get to the island of Noirmoutier, but Passage du Gois still did not lose popularity.

This curious object was formed due to the destruction of the plateau, which contributed to the formation of Bourneuf Bay. For thousands of years, two currents from the north and south collided in the bay, resulting in the deposition of silt. It moved constantly until about a hundred years ago it settled down and formed a strong and stable structure.

Later, work was carried out to install supports, during which cobblestones were also laid to prevent the movement of sand. Almost the entire road is now covered with asphalt, but there are sections of cobblestones that are quite slippery. In addition, one of the main dangers is fog, which can easily lead you astray.

Driving on the road is generally considered a rather risky activity. Although the tide times have been accurately marked on large signs on either side of the Passage du Gois as far back as 1830, the water is rising at an incredible rate and many boaters are trapped every year. Tall wooden lifeguard towers line the Passage du Goix to help those caught between tides. The depth of water, even in seemingly safe shallows, can sharply increase to four meters. People who find themselves on the road at the wrong moment can climb these towers and wait until they are rescued (there are rescue boats on the island specifically for this purpose), or until the tide runs out again.

At low tide, hundreds of tourists and locals hike, circle or simply drive through Passage du Gois. The road also attracts many shell-seekers, especially after low spring tides, when large expanses of sand open up, rich in all kinds of shellfish. Local residents take buckets, shovels, baskets and collect shells, shrimp and oysters.

In 1942, the road itself, the dam, warning signs and buoys were designated as historical monuments. Since 1986, the Foulis du Gois race has been held on this road every year. And in 1999, the Tour de France cycling race was even held at Passage du Goix.

Passage du Gois is a road laid along the bottom of the Bay of Bournieuf, connecting mainland France with the island of Noirmoutier. Twice a day, after low tide, it becomes accessible for movement for several hours. The rest of the time the tide floods it to a level of four meters. The natural passage between the island and the mainland, exposed at low tide, was first mentioned on maps in 1701.





In 1840, a major cobblestone road was built along it, making it possible to travel both on horseback and in carts. Now the length of the road is 4.5 kilometers. The path seems small, but is considered very risky. Despite large signs on both sides of the road with the tide schedule, many people are trapped every year by the rapidly rising water. For such losers, rescue towers have been built, where they can wait until the water recedes, but they will no longer be able to save the car. The unique road attracts many tourists, local residents Shellfish are collected here at low tide, and in 1999 a stage of the Tour de France cycling race was held here.

 

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