Canal Bridge

Of all the must-see heritage sites in Agen, this one might just top the list. Let’s be honest, if you come to the prune capital and skip the canal bridge, you haven’t really seen Agen. From here, you can glimpse its silhouette, but as you follow Rue des Îles, the line of arches will gradually come into view. On paper, it’s just a bridge connecting two banks of the Garonne, twelve meters above the water. But in reality, it’s something far more unusual: a bridge that carries a canal over a river, allowing boats to sail across a bridge. The project began in 1833, with the goal of extending the Canal du Midi to Bordeaux, improving navigation on the Garonne. Two engineers, Jean-Baptiste de Baudre and Job, were tasked with the work, and the first stone was laid in 1839 by the Duke of Orléans. According to legend, a chest filled with gold and silver coins was buried beneath it. In 1841, work was put on hold due to the construction of the Bordeaux-Toulouse railway line. The unfinished bridge was even used as a shortcut by local farmers, until the tolls proved too steep. Construction resumed in 1846, and the bridge finally opened in 1849. Built entirely in stone, it stretches 580 meters across 23 arches, rising 10 meters high and measuring about 13 meters wide, an impressive feat of 19th-century engineering. It’s the second longest canal bridge in France, just behind the one in Briare. Whether you walk beneath it or across it, on foot or by bike, the Agen canal bridge is a true icon. From the top, you can enjoy sweeping views over the city, the Garonne, the riverbanks, and the passing boats.