Striding across the 12th arrondissement townscape to the north-east of the Rue de Lyon and the Avenue Daumesnil, the Bastille viaduct had fallen into the forlorn anonymity typical of such redundant infra-structures -- its arches occupied by a humdrum mix of small businesses, workshops, cafes, garages and the like, which had progressively obscured the fine lines and materials of the structure: red brick spandrels setting off the stonework of the vaults, piers and arches, finished off with a boldly corbelled stone cornice and
blocking course.