Anthéor

Anthéor

The seaside town of Anthéor, easily recognizable by the imposing viaduct that dominates it, is located 15 km from Saint-Raphaël. It is perfectly situated between the Esterel Massif and the Mediterranean Sea at its feet. On the Corniche d'Or, the mythical road in the South of France, Anthéor is one of the most important places to visit. Its numerous coves and rocky inlets are ideal for bathing, and its imposing viaduct is an exceptional testimony to the past. The town is overlooked by the Esterel massif. It is one of the oldest mountain ranges in France, dating back 255 million years. The closest viewpoint to Anthéor is the Pic du Cap Roux, 453 meters above sea level. The Anthéor viaduct, an arched bridge for the railroad, connected the East Var to the County of Nice from 1862. The work that was carried out, which was very extensive for the time, took 2 years to complete. Today, the 9 arches that support the bridge can be seen at a height of 25 meters above the road. The viaduct was bombed several times during the Second World War and was damaged, but never completely destroyed. It was finally destroyed by the Allies during the Landing of Provence. There are also differences between some of the columns, which were destroyed and rebuilt at separate points in time. On the third pillar, a plaque commemorates the landing and pays tribute to the bravery of the 1st Battalion of the 141st Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, which landed at Anthéor on August 15, 1944.