197. BRIDGE OF CAHORS, KNOWN AS THE PONT DE VALENTRÉ
The question of tolls was an important one in those days, and gave rise to frequent disputes. The towers and gate-houses of bridges were toll-bars as well as defensive outworks.
The bridge at Montauban, known as the Pont des Consuls, which was begun at the close of the thirteenth century, remained unfinished till the beginning of the fourteenth, when Philip the Fair gave such help as was needed for its completion, on condition that he should be allowed to raise three towers on the bridge, with a view to the appropriation of the tolls.
The Bridge of Montauban is built entirely of brick. It consists of seven pointed arches, resting on spurred piers, which are pierced with arches, also pointed, and rising to the same height as the main arches, to provide for the frequent floods of the Tarn.
The Bridge of Cahors is one of the most beautiful of fourteenth-century examples. It is still of great interest in spite of the various restorations it has undergone, chiefly of late years.
198. BRIDGE OF ORTHEZ
This bridge, which is known as the Pont de Valentré, was begun in 1308 by Raymond Panchelli, Bishop of Cahors from 1300-1312, and cannot have been finished before 1355. It consists of six slightly pointed arches; the piers, which rise to the level of the parapet, forming lateral refuges, are triangular above bridge and square below. At each end the bridge was commanded by a crenellated structure, forming a gate-house or tête de pont on either bank. In the middle rose a lofty tower with gates, by means of which passage might be barred and assailants checked in the event of a surprise of either gate-house.