Valentré Bridge hosts guided tours on 22 October 2026
Published on 10/04/2026 at 02:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Valentré Bridge (Pont Valentré) in Cahors will be the focus of guided tours on 22 and 29 October 2026. The visits combine the medieval bridge's exterior with its surrounding river landscape and heritage sites.
The scheduled dates place a focused history visit in Cahors, France, during October 2026, while the crossing itself remains a pedestrian monument with UNESCO status.
Guided tours at Valentré Bridge run on two October dates
The event, titled Guided tour: Valentré Bridge and its surroundings, starts from the Cahors Tourist Office on Thursday 22 October 2026 and Thursday 29 October 2026. The official regional tourism listing identifies Cahors as the venue and credits the Cahors Heritage Service.
The route covers the outside of the bridge and its immediate surroundings. The published programme names the roadway, the lock, the towpath, the Chartreux fountain resurgence and the Maison de l'Eau, a former pumping station at Cabazat. The regional event listing states that both October dates are available.
How the October route connects bridge and river heritage
The guided route is more than a crossing. By including the lock, towpath and former pumping station, it follows the structures that explain how the bridge relates to the Lot and to Cahors's historic water infrastructure.
Construction began in 1308 on the initiative of Cahors's consuls, and the bridge was completed around 1380. It is 172 metres long, has eight arches and three towers, and the tops of the towers rise more than 40 metres above the water. The heritage profile records these dimensions and dates.
That history gives the October programme a precise setting: visitors encounter a fourteenth-century fortified bridge, then follow the adjoining landscape and waterworks named in the tour description. The monument entered the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998 as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela.
Restoration planning adds context to the 2026 visits
The Cahors tourist office says a major restoration project is planned for the bridge between 2026 and 2031. The project is separate from the October guided tours, but it places the current programme within a period of long-term conservation.
The bridge was restored around 1880 by architect Paul Gout, and a small devil sculpture on the central tower refers to the monument's well-known legend. The present tours concentrate on the exterior and surroundings, so the published programme does not promise access to an interior exhibition or a special opening.
Visiting Valentré Bridge: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The guided tour takes place on 22 October 2026 and 29 October 2026, with departure from the Cahors Tourist Office.
- The scheduled visit covers the exterior of the bridge, the roadway, the lock, the towpath, the Chartreux fountain resurgence and the Maison de l'Eau at Cabazat.
- The bridge is in Cahors beside the River Lot. The heritage profile lists Cahors railway station and regional liO train and coach connections as access points for the monument.
- The crossing is pedestrianised, and its eight arches and three towers form the principal physical features encountered on the route.
- France's official language is French and its national currency is the euro.
Searching for Valentré Bridge on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Valentré Bridge
When do guided tours take place at Valentré Bridge?
The tours are scheduled for 22 October 2026 and 29 October 2026. Both begin at the Cahors Tourist Office.
Where is Valentré Bridge and how do you get there?
The bridge crosses the River Lot in Cahors, France. The heritage profile lists Cahors railway station and regional liO connections for access to the monument.
What is Valentré Bridge?
It is a medieval fortified bridge built from 1308 and completed around 1380. The 172-metre structure has eight arches and three towers and became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.
