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canal du midi  

location map   the Canal du Midi, in existence for more than 300 years, was constructed by Pierre Paul Riquet between 1667 and 1681, with the help of about 12,000 workers, who dug out 7,000,000m3 of earth to connect Toulouse and Sète.

this represents 240km(150miles) of canal, built using only manpower, during the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King / Roi Soleil).

conceived to enable the transport of goods and the French Navy between the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea, it is now almost exclusively used by pleasure boats.

during your trip you will discover a canal lined by trees, which meanders through the land of the Cathars, passing on the way locks, bridges and aqueducts of the time.

you will come to appreciate the calm of the picturesque little villages, which have preserved their charm and gastronomy, practically intact since the canal's construction.

the Canal du Midi was recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1996.

 
photographs some views of the canal at various times of the day and year.
 
detailed maps Carcassonne to Béziers.
 
technical data lock sizes & opening hours
 
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  Revised -- March 23, 2007		 [ homepage | boat rental ]