VALENTED BRIDGE

The Pont Valentré is a ^14th-century fortified stone bridge spanning the Lot river west of Cahors, typical of the defensive military architecture of the Middle Ages. One of the most remarkable bridges in the south of France, it was listed as a historic monument in 1840, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, as part of the French Pilgrimage Route to Santiago de Compostela. In other words, it's a must-see!

This pedestrian bridge was built between 1308 and 1380 at the request of the city's consuls, notably consul Géraud de Sabanac, during the wars between France and England. To speed up the work, which was dragging on a little, legend has it that the master builder called on the devil to help him... but that he succeeded in fooling him! Since then, a sculpture of an imp has been depicted at the top of a tower, and the bridge is nicknamed the "Devil's Bridge".

A defensive yet ostentatious structure, it was the third stone bridge in Cahors. Supported by 6 main arches and foreshafts, its humpback-shaped deck is topped by three 3-storey square towers, culminating almost 50 m above the Lot. The two towers on either side of the river were fortified, and a châtelet was built at each end: virtually nothing remains of the west tower, while the east tower housed a chapel to protect the 172 m-long bridge. Restored in 1879 by the architect Paul Gout, an emulator of Viollet-le-Duc, it remains one of the few and most impressive fortified medieval bridges in France, and is still in excellent condition. In addition to its role as a fortress, this new east-west axis has enabled the development of trade. As a small but important anecdote, its impressive defensive architecture was so successful that no one dared attack it!

It's impossible to visit Cahors without crossing the Pont Valentré: it's a real pleasure to stroll across this car-free bridge, from the source of the Chartreuse to the banks of the heart of Cahors, watching the boats, the sun reflecting in the river, looking for the little devil or taking sublime photos from the forebays...

Because of its history, its beauty and its funny legend, the Pont Valentré has naturally become a symbol of the city of Cahors. Numerous events are organized on the bridge, and every evening it is adorned with magnificent colored lighting.