Sarthe River Bridge in Saint Céneri le Gérei, France
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
For thousands of years a ancient stone bridge crossing the Sarthe river in northern France has hidden a secret to immortality… Hemp!
The picturesque French village of Saint Céneri le Gérei was named for a hermit Saint named Serenicus (Céneri) that lived on the river’s edge in the 8th century. After a perilous journey crossing the alps in 689 A.D. Ceneri collapsed on a hill overlooking the Sarthe river. Thirsty, tired and unable to take another step he asked god for a miracle. Laying back on the hill a spring sprung up from the earth right beside him saving his life and has been running ever since…
Ceneri Spring in Saint Céneri le Gérei, France
A monastery was built upon Céneri’s death in his honor, but was completely destroyed by the Vikings in 903 AD. Some of the monasteries original wall’s can still be found in the village, but a much older structure survived the Viking invasion intact.
The oldest structure in Saint Céneri le Gérei dating back to the Merovingians is the old stone bridge crossing the Sarthe river. The fact that it has survived antiquity is a miracle, the secret to how it survived is shocking.
A stone and mortar bridge crossing the river point was constructed by the Merovingians who ruled the area around 500 AD. Upon closer inspection the secret to its longevity is discovered… Hemp!
The bridges ancient stonework has been held in place for centuries using mortar made from hemp. With a mixture of more than 10% hemp, the hemp mortar has held the bridge together longer than any other structure in the village, not to mention its the only structure that has had to withstand the rivers punishing current.
The hemp mortar’s immortality comes from its ability to breath. Typical mortar cracks and chips to pieces as the mortar expands and contracts with typical temperature and moisture influxes. Hemp has the amazing ability to absorb moisture, allowing the mortar to take in and release the excess water when conditions allow. These abilities have allowed the bridge to survive as other structures turn to ruble.
Sarthe River Bridge in Saint Céneri le Gérei, France
The Hempen bridge has withstood viking conquests, multiple world wars, natural disasters and has stood as a sanctuary and landmark for centuries.
For centuries the bridge has stood for safe passage across the flowing Sarthe river but the bridge also serves another modern purpose: a border.
Walking halfway across the bridge and turning your back to the church on the overlooking hill, a small metal nail is inserted right into the mortar of the bridge. This old rusted nail marks the border of Normandy.
Nail marking Normandy’s border on Sarthe bridge
During WW2 the Germans twice tried to destroy the ancient hemp bridge.
On August 6, 1944, day’s after the D-Day landings on the nearby Normandy beaches, the Germans wired the bridge with charges in fear of the Allied advance. A day later the explosives were removed when the Germans realized the bridge was the only path of retreat from the quickly moving Allies.
On August 10, the last retreating Germans crossed the old stone Sarthe river bridge. As the last German tanks crossed the old bridge, they stopped and took aim. The retreating tanks shelled the bridge hoping to slow the chasing Allies but to the Germans dismay the Bridge withstood the tank rounds with little damage…
The following week a group of American engineers were tasked to repair the old hemp bridge and decided to leave the town a little hidden memorial. If you lean over the mill side of the bridge, a shell casing from the German tanks was mortared right into the stonework of the bridge, a testament to the strength of Hemp!
Saint Céneri le Gérei, France