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Bridges are counted among the most spectacular works of art and hold a special place in the history of engineering. They are the answer to a central challenge in the history of mankind — mastering the land with a view to connecting people. Over vertiginous cliffs, steep gorges, rivers with devastating torrents. Bridges continue to fascinate because they symbolize the human genius in overcoming the obstacles of nature. Throughout the centuries, the necessity of developing means of transport coupled with the ambition of establishing new world records has been a driving force of progress, forcing the pioneers to break new ground. Three bridges, three eras, three records of civil engineering. The Pont du Gard, the viaduct of Garabit and the viaduct of Millau.

For the second time, the TGV, France’s high-speed train, is the fastest train of the world. Yet, its engineers are continuously pushing for even higher speeds, having launched the new TGV Ocean and the AGV, the TGV of the future. It all began back in the 1950s with the CC 7100 series and its electric locomotive, which was considerably lighter than any of its predecessors. This technological gem made history by breaking the world’s speed record for trains. As the electrification of rail traffic proved to be a success, more and more of the less powered steam locomotives were phased out. Since then, the successors of the original TGV have smashed all records for rail-bound traffic, culminating in 2007 with an incredible performance of 574 kilometres per hour.

Taming nature and putting its energy to the service of man…it’s a challenge which has been mastered thanks to the construction of hydro-electric barrages. Three exceptional dams have revolutionized the technique of barrage building and marked their era by engineering records: In 1960, the Barrage of Serre Ponçon was the first of a series of truly gigantic feats. At a height of more than 120 meters, its reservoir constitutes the greatest artificial lake in France. Yet, to achieve this, in the valley below, two villages had to be flooded. The Barrage of Romanche-Gavet was inaugurated only recently. Since 2020, it stands for technology without par. It replaces no less than five barrages while being virtually invisible.

To overcome oceans and mountains that separate us from our neighbors, engineers have pushed the limits of subterranean construction and dug tunnels which were thought impossible to achieve. We follow their feats by going back to the gigantic sites of three tunnel projects: through mountains and under sea. In 1871, the tunnel of Mont-Cenis was the first to pierce the Alps. Work was supposed to take up to 30 years, but a revolutionary machine turned the world of mining upside down. The pneumatic drill broke all records in tunneling. At its inauguration in 1994, the Euro tunnel was the longest under-sea tunnel of all times. Digging virtually three tunnels over 50 kilometers under the English Channel was, in fact, a triple feat. In 1871, the tunnel of Mont-Cenis was the first to pierce the Alps. Last, but not least, there is Mont Blanc Tunnel, completed in 1965 as the longest road tunnel of its time.

Canals are impressive masterpieces of human engineering. Join us for a closer look at three of the most well-known waterways of great historical and economic relevance. The first is Canal du Midi, built under Louis XIV, which provided Toulouse with access to the Mediterranean Sea some 200 kilometres away. Today, it is the oldest canal still in use in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The documentary also explores the Canal de Bourgogne, built at the end of the 18th century, which connected the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic. Finally, we explore the Grand Canal of Alsace, which was built over 100 years later and is mainly used to generate electricity. Explore the history and engineering behind these technological works of art in this fascinating documentary.