There is a road in France named Passage du Gois that looks like a normal road, but the fact that makes it special is that it remains underwater twice a day by the high tide. It is one of the world's most impressive roads that serve as a unique periodically flooded road leading to the picturesque island of Noirmoutier. Passage du Gois is located between the island of Noirmoutier and Beauvoir-sur-Mer, in the department of Vendee. Showing its uniqueness with a length of 4.125 km, it not only offers us some beautiful views but also making itself a fascinating example of the ferocious power of nature. It would not be wrong if we called it the world's most dangerous road. This beautiful looking road which is actually very dangerous is a good platform for adventure lovers. It is dangerous because of its length, if you are stuck in the floods, it can be very difficult to reach dry land. The stone-paved causeway was first used during the 16th century and is still used daily by tourists and locals. The road is accessible only with low tide, you can cross one hour and half before and one hour and half after low tide. During high tide when the sea level rises, the stone-paved road lies under 1.5 - 4 meters of water. Not only this, after the decrease in water level, the road remains covered in slimy seaweed, making the road extremely slippery at places. There are special side digital panels on this half land and half waterway that tell people if the road is safe to use or not. These panels are regularly updated with sea level warnings and speed limit reminders, helping the drivers to beware of the upcoming wave. Despite these signs, such incidents happen every year as people get caught by the quickly rising tide and sometimes even deaths.
Image Credit - Flickr
Many times it happens that the car is going on the road and then the water starts coming in and when the car comes in the middle, the water gets filled up causing the road to disappear and push the driver in trouble. For all these incidents, tall emergency towers have been placed on the sides of the road that if you get stuck somewhere between the road, then you can climb up on the emergency towers until someone comes there to rescue you. This will save your life but maybe your car will not be so lucky. That is why tourists are advised not to use the road unless it's very necessary. Passage Du Gois was used several times on Tour de France bicycle race and was only taken off the map after a serious incident in 1999. The route caused a massive crash in the 1999 Tour de France due to its wet surface. It was used most recently in 2011 as the starting point of the first stage. The Passage du Gois is an extraordinary location in France and if you’re looking for some extreme adventures, this wonderful seascape might be a worthy place to visit.
Image Credit - Flickr
0 comments:
Post a Comment