World Heritage Sites Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France -Pont Vieux, Espalion - World Heritage Sites on Waymarking.com

Pont Vieux served as a crossing of the Lot River on the pilgrimage route starting at Le Puy. The next stages downstream on the Lot included Estaing, Entraygues and Conques. Just upstream from Pont Vieux at the edge of town is Eglise de Perse, a historical chapel associated with the Abbey of St Foy at Conques.

Pont Vieux has four arches spanning 12.6, 15.5, 12.55 and 8.2 meters, right to left in the pictures. The river is ~60 m wide and the total length of the bridge including approaches is ~72 m. The height is ~12 m. The date of construction is not known but the first bridge at this location has been attributed to Charlemange in 780. A bridge here is mentioned in a charter dated 1060 in the abbey at Conques. The arched bridge was likely built early in the 14th century. The bridge was once fortified with drawbridges and towers at each ends. These were demolished when the bridge was renovated and widened from 3.66 to 4.35 m in the 18th century. The bridge is constructed of red sandstone except for the granite parapets.

Type: Monument Reference number: http://whc.unesco.org/fr/list/868/multiple=1&unique_number=040

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/23/2020 RakeInTheCache visited it 05/19/2019 IronMarco12 visited it 03/01/2018 celene37 visited it 09/19/2017 DarkDodo visited it

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