Pont Neuf (New Bridge), Toulouse (must see)

The New Bridge in Toulouse, otherwise known as the Big or Stone Bridge, is a historically significant structure dating back over 400 years. Its construction began in 1544 and concluded in 1632, spanning almost a century of work marked by challenges such as the Garonne River's violent floods and unstable subsoil. The project was initiated by King Francis I of France, who recognized the strategic threat from the Spanish King Charles V during that period. He considered it vital to have an overpass for quickly moving defending armies across the Garonne in any weather or season.

The New Bridge replaced the Daurade Bridge which provided a link between the pilgrim hospital of Saint Mary of the Daurade and the Benedictine monastery across the river in the Middle Ages. In 1541, King Francis declared a tax levy to finance the construction, which came to fruition in 1561 as a sturdy, invincible structure.

Renowned for its mix of Renaissance and early 17th-century styles, the bridge was designed to be innovative compared to its predecessors. It was free from the common medieval practice of housing stores on it and thus provided clear passage. The design combined ancient Roman and more modern – Renaissance – influences, featuring among other elements the extensive use of the so-called "basket-handle" arches which are wider than height, allowing for fewer piles.

The bridge's durability and quality of construction were proven when it remained standing after the devastating flood of 1875, which destroyed all the other bridges in town and numerous houses. Notably, the bridge is not symmetrical due to the differing elevations of the river banks, which adds a great deal of uniqueness to its design.

The bridge has crests before each pier to part flows, and eye-like round openings to allow water to pass through it when the arches are submerged. Spanning 220 meters with seven arches, the biggest of which measures 56 meters, the New Bridge of Toulouse is a testament to the architectural prowess of its era.