located in the neighboring town of Esterre. The Solferino chapel This chapel with its Byzantine tower was rebuilt in 1859 on the orders of Emperor Napoleon III in honour of the victims of the Battle of Solferino, on the ruins of the ancient chapel of St. Peter founded by the Knights Hospitaller in the Middle Ages. For a long time, its priest blessed the herds at the beginning to the high pastures of the mountain. The Napoleon Bridge Napoleon III fell in love with the Pyrenees and made several stays in the company of Empress Eugenie. His great work at Saint-Sauveur was the realization of an idea that was dear to him: connecting the two banks of the Gavarnie Gave by building a bridge. An "American" and a "wire" design were considered before finally designing a stone bridge of a single arch. Begun immediately, under the leadership of Mr. Bruniquel, Engineer of Roads and Bridges, the work lasted two years and was completed in June 1861. The deck of the bridge is 68 meters in length, and is located 63 m above the Gave. The arch that supports it is 42 m in diameter. The vault rests directly on the steep rocks that border the Gave. The height of the water level at the base of the vault is 40 m; it is 63 m at the keystone and 65 m at the bridge. To commemorate the memory of the Emperor's stay and its benefits, the Barèges Valley Trade Union Committee erected a column 12 m high, surmounted by a colossal eagle, at the eastern end of the bridge. The column, consisting of 14 rings, is made of Lourdes stone. The eagle was made at the marble factory of Bagneres. The total height, eagle included, is 14 m. The column bears the inscription: "To their imperial Majesties Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie, the inhabitants of LUZ St. SAVIOR is grateful". The bridge was open to traffic in 1861 and in September 1863, Napoleon III finally inaugurated the bridge. See also Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées department References Communes of Hautes-Pyrénées Spa towns in France