The question of tolls was an important one in those days, and gave rise to frequent disputes. The towers and gate-houses of bridges were toll-bars as well as defensive outworks. The bridge at Montauban, known as the _Pont des Consuls_, which was begun at the close of the thirteenth century, remained unfinished till the beginning of the fourteenth, when Philip the Fair gave such help as was needed for its completion, on condition that he should be allowed to raise three towers on the bridge, with a view to the appropriation of the tolls. The Bridge of Montauban is built entirely of brick. It consists of seven pointed arches, resting on spurred piers, which are pierced with arches, also pointed, and rising to the same height as the main arches, to provide for the frequent floods of the Tarn. The Bridge of Cahors is one of the most beautiful of fourteenth-century examples. It is still of great interest in spite of the various restorations it has undergone, chiefly of late years. [Illustration: 198. BRIDGE OF ORTHEZ] This bridge, which is known as the _Pont de Valentré_, was begun in 1308 by Raymond Panchelli, Bishop of Cahors from 1300-1312, and cannot have been finished before 1355. It consists of six slightly pointed arches; the piers, which rise to the level of the parapet, forming lateral refuges, are triangular above bridge and square below. At each end the bridge was commanded by a crenellated structure, forming a gate-house or _tête de pont_ on either bank. In the middle rose a lofty tower with gates, by means of which passage might be barred and assailants checked in the event of a surprise of either gate-house. [Illustration: 199. ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL. FORTIFIED BRIDGE CONNECTING THE LOWER CHURCH WITH THE ABBEY] The Bridge of Orthez has strong affinities with that of Cahors. It must date from about the same period, and there is every reason to suppose it was defended, not only by the central tower, but by _têtes de pont_, one of which at least must have been destroyed to make way for the railroad from Bayonne to Pau. Bridges were of great importance in the Middle Ages, both as public highways and military outworks. At certain points, notably at the confluence of two rivers, they were strongly reinforced by very considerable defences, as at Sens, Montereau, etc. At Paris, Orleans, Rouen, Nantes, and a large number of other towns traversed by rivers, bridges were not only important as military defences, but of great interest as architecture.