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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Pont des Cioutats, also known as Pont-Vieux, is a medieval building located in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Lot-et-Garonne department. Built in the 13th century under the direction of English engineers, it was commissioned by Edward I of England after the Treaty of Amiens (1279) to facilitate the control of navigation on the Lot. Originally, it had five arches topped by three towers, two of which collapsed during a flood in 1600, resulting in partial reconstruction with a single large arch of 35.30 meters.

The construction began in 1282 and was completed in 1289 as part of the transfer of the Agen to England. The bridge became a strategic issue, especially during the religious conflicts of the sixteenth century, when the Cieutat family, mayor of Villeneuve, defended the city against Marguerite de Valois (Queen Margot) in 1585. His name was given to him in tribute to this resistance.

In the 17th century, the bridge underwent several major repairs. In 1601, the Royal Engineer Louis de Foix assessed the damage caused by the 1600 flood, and the work was financed by a salt tax. Master masons Pierre Ardouin and Louis Couthereau (who had worked on Cordouan's lighthouse) participated in the expertise, while Domenge de La Porterie took over the foundations. After further damage in 1618, the Bordeaux architect Claude Maillet supervised the repairs, leading to an inauguration in 1643.

In the 19th century, the bridge was expanded in 1876 by the contractors Targes and Cie, under the direction of engineer Rey Pailhade, with the removal of the original parapets. Ranked a historical monument in 1951, it remains a major testimony of medieval architecture and Franco-English exchanges in the South West.

The bridge is distinguished by its uneven arches, including a large 36-metre central arch, and its beaks protecting the batteries. Its apron, expanded in the 19th century, incorporates cast iron and brick elements. Originally designed to connect the two banks of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, it also symbolizes the political and religious tensions in the region, especially during the Wars of Religion.

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