Millau, le Viaduc de l’impossible

Hailed as one of the major architectural achievements of the 21st century, the construction of the Millau Viaduct in the South of France is an excellent example of man overcoming huge challenges of nature to connect people and places. The fascinating story of the tallest bridge in the world is now told in this absorbing new documentary, which features interviews with its lead architect Lord Norman Foster. Filmed in cinematographic style, it is packed with facts, 3D images and unseen archive footage. Following three years of construction and more than a decade of research and study, the Millau Viaduct was opened in 2004. With a deck 2,460 metres long and using 36,000 tonnes of steel, the record-breaking bridge was viewed as a symbol of Franco-British engineering genius and its sailing ship design makes it appear to float in the clouds. However, it also unlocked an important north-south route across the Massif Central, which has since been used by 50 million vehicles. In addition to Lord Foster, whose other designs include Beijing Airport and 30 St Mary Axe (London's Gherkin), the documentary also hears from French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and some of the 3,000 workers who faced huge technological challenges every day during its building. As well as featuring rare footage of its construction, the film also visits Millau to discover how the bridge has transformed local residents lives and how it feels to live in a small town with a big place on the civil engineering map. (Sky UK)