The Vieux Pont — the old bridge — crosses the Tarn river just north of the cathedral close and offers what is arguably the best view in Albi: the rose-brick mass of the cathedral rising above the rooftops of the lower town, reflected in the slow-moving Tarn below. The bridge itself dates from the late 11th century, making it one of the oldest in France still in regular use, and has been rebuilt and widened several times over the centuries.
Standing on the bridge looking south, you get a clear picture of how the Episcopal City sits atop the riverbank: the cathedral, the Palais de la Berbie, and the bishop's gardens forming a compact fortified complex above the old town. The view is best in the late afternoon when the light catches the warm brick.