the essential
Closed to traffic from July 8 to August 10, the Old Bridge, built in the 14th century, can be enjoyed on foot this summer.
It is one of the oldest witnesses of medieval life in Montauban. And it will regain its letters of nobility for hundreds of years to come. A true link between the Villebourbon district and the city center, the Old bridge has a history of almost 700 years overlooking the Tarn. Since May 2023, the municipality has undertaken major restoration work which, however, can become a sort of attraction for tourists who like to stroll on foot. Indeed, if the structure is completely closed to car traffic from July 8 to August 10, it remains accessible on foot. Thus, pedestrians will be able to better appreciate the goldsmith’s work that is currently being carried out on the calades of the Pont Vieux. On these sidewalks created in the 19th century during the expansion of the deck, lie thousands of small stones that have been trampled on from generation to generation. But the ravages of time have generated gaps and wear.
For several months, specialized workers have been taking turns to recreate these famous calades identical to the 19th century. No less than 420,000 stones are collected, sorted, trimmed and placed by hand. The downstream part having been carried out in the spring, tourists will appreciate the shapes and figures dating from 1831 and refurbished in 2024.
Not far away sits the flamboyant Pont des Consulsbuilt at the end of the 19th century, which will take you straight to the Olympe de Gouges theater. This Italian-style theatre, inaugurated in 1849, is the successor to a first building built in 1762 in a tennis court. The architect Fragneau gave it a neoclassical façade made entirely of brick, crowned with a large triangular pediment. The monumental entrance uses the elements of the Place Nationale (brick, arcades, projecting pilasters, mirandes), enhanced by four bas-reliefs representing music, dance, poetry and comedy. 4 place Lefranc de Pompignan; such. : 05 63 21 02 40.
This stroll through the pretty streets of the city can take you as far as the Old College. Built by the Jesuits at the end of the 17th century, it is organized around two large courtyards and the current Saint-Joseph church. During the Revolution, the building became a foundry: 358 cannons were manufactured there for the armies of the Republic. Under the Second Empire, the college was transformed into a high school for boys. Today it houses the Tourist Office and the Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Center. 25 Emperor’s Alley.
