Valentré Bridge hosts guided tours on 22 October

A guided tour of Valentré Bridge (Pont Valentré) and its surroundings is scheduled in Cahors, France, on 22 October 2026, with a second date listed for 29 October. The programme combines the exterior of the medieval bridge with nearby riverside heritage.

Guided tours at Valentré Bridge begin on 22 October

The regional tourism listing names the event as a guided visit to the bridge and its surroundings. It gives 22 October 2026 as the first date and 29 October 2026 as the second, with both sessions starting from the Office de Tourisme de Cahors. The same listing places the activity in Cahors and identifies the bridge as the subject of the visit. The regional tourism listing records both October dates.

The visit is centred on the exterior of the bridge rather than an indoor exhibition. Its route also takes in the roadway, the lock, the towpath, the spring at the Fontaine des Chartreux and the Maison de l’Eau, a former pumping station at Cabazat. This gives the October programme a clear connection between the monument and the landscape around the Lot.

October visits explain the bridge’s medieval fabric

Construction of the bridge began in 1308, and historical sources place it in use by about 1385. The structure is 172 metres long and 6 metres wide, with six arches and three defensive towers. Its raised roadway follows the river crossing and the changing ground on either bank.

The bridge entered the first list of French Monuments Historiques in 1840. A major restoration campaign followed between 1879 and 1882, when architect Paul Gout worked on the monument during the installation of a water-supply system that used the bridge as an aqueduct. The structure is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The heritage and restoration overview describes the bridge’s construction, dimensions and later conservation history.

The timing of the tours places visitors beside a monument that is also the subject of a long-term restoration programme. The planned work concerns deteriorated or missing sections while aiming to preserve the authenticity of the whole structure. The October route therefore links the bridge’s visible fabric with the conservation questions surrounding it.

Valentré Bridge remains a pedestrian crossing in Cahors

The bridge has been reserved for pedestrians since 1995. The official tourism information gives its location as Allée des Soupirs in Cahors and places it within walking reach of Cahors railway station. The crossing connects the historic city with the riverside paths and the sites included in the guided programme.

Visiting Valentré Bridge: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The guided tour takes place on 22 October 2026, with another listed session on 29 October 2026.
• The activity starts at the Office de Tourisme de Cahors, Place François-Mitterrand, rather than at the bridge itself.
• The route covers the exterior of the bridge, its roadway, the lock, the towpath, the Fontaine des Chartreux spring and the Maison de l’Eau.
• The crossing is pedestrian and follows a raised medieval roadway over the Lot, with defensive towers and a changing gradient between the two banks.
• Cahors railway station is within walking reach of the bridge, whose visitor location is given as Allée des Soupirs.

Searching for Valentré Bridge on social platforms

These links open searches for Valentré Bridge on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Valentré Bridge

When do the guided tours take place at Valentré Bridge?

The listed guided tours take place on 22 October 2026 and 29 October 2026. Both dates begin from the Office de Tourisme de Cahors.

Where is Valentré Bridge and how do you get there?

The bridge is in Cahors, France, at Allée des Soupirs. Cahors railway station is within walking reach of the monument.

What is Valentré Bridge?

It is a medieval fortified bridge whose construction began in 1308. The monument has six arches, three defensive towers and UNESCO World Heritage status through the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.