The Anne de Bretagne Bridge (; ) is a bridge spanning the bras de la Madeleine, a branch of the Loire river in Nantes, France. Named in honor of Anne of Brittany, it connects the city center to the ÃÂle de Nantes.
As the westernmost urban bridge in Nantes, it links the on the right bank to the on the island (in the **Prairie au Duc** district). It stands on the site formerly occupied by the , which was built in 1903 and dismantled in 1958.
The bridge provides access to major cultural sites on the island, including the Machines of the Isle of Nantes, the , and the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery located on the right bank.
The current bridge, completed in 1975, is a beam bridge supported by two main concrete piers. Historically, the site was the location of a famous transporter bridge that served as a symbol of the city's industrial heritage before its demolition.
A major transformation project began in March 2024 to accommodate two new tramway lines (Lines 6 and 7). By 2027, the bridge's width will be tripled, reaching , making it one of the widest bridges in Europe.
The project emphasizes environmental sustainability by reusing the existing concrete piers, saving approximately 4,800 tons of concrete and reducing the carbon footprint by 6,000 tons of CO equivalent.
The new monumental steel structure, weighing 3,100 tons and measuring in length, was manufactured in Italy by Cimolai at their Monfalcone plant. Due to its exceptional dimensions, it was transported to Nantes by sea. The journey, which began in October 2025, faced significant delays due to severe winter storms in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic (including storms Alessio, Barbara, and Nils).
To ensure a safe crossing of the Bay of Biscay, the barge was loaded onto the specialized semi-submersible heavy-lift ship Trustee (IMO 8902955) in Cádiz. After a final technical stop in Lorient on 25 February 2026 to wait for favorable wind conditions, the structure finally arrived in Nantes on 7 March 2026.
The final towage up the Loire estuary from Saint-Nazaire was performed by Boluda tugboats, including the Menez-Hom and Menez-Bre, as well as the harbor tugs Pornic, Mirage, and Ouragan. The arrival was celebrated by crowds of residents as the barge performed a spectacular turnaround maneuver near before reaching the construction site.