The Canal du Midi

 

The Midi Canal, otherwise known as the Languedoc Canal, begins its 240 km journey in Toulouse, rising 60 metres over 26 locks, cruising along its 5 km summit then dropping 190 metres over 180 km with 74 locks to meet the Mediterranean Sea at Sète.

The following is a brief history with maps and is provided by french-waterways.com

It was the Romans who first had the idea of building a waterway to join the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, but the task proved impossible for many practical reasons. Even the great Leonardo da Vinci was unable to contemplate the task. In fact, it wasn’t until 1667 that construction actually began, under the reign of Louis XIV. Pierre-Paul Riquet designed and built the Canal Royal de Languedoc (as it was then known) with the aim of transporting wheat, wine and textiles. It took 12,000 people (surprisingly for this period, it was women who made up a large part of the workforce) to make it a reality, but it opened on May 15th 1681. However, it wasn’t until two centuries later, when his canal was linked to the Canal du Garonne, that Riquet’s dream of reaching the Atlantic was fulfilled.

The Canal Royal de Languedoc was renamed the Canal du Midi during the French Revolution, and by 1856 it carried over 100,000 tonnes of cargo and a million passengers a year. However, by the following year commerce had almost dried up due to the opening of the Bordeaux to Sete railway.

The combination of stunning scenery, wide variety of nature, avenue of trees and of course the sheer engineering prowess and unique locks that run the length of the canal, have given the Canal du Midi a renaissance. Since the 1990s tourists have flocked to the world renowned stretch of water and its popularity continues to grow.

To ensure the future appearance of the Canal du Midi, a huge replanting operation is currently underway, with thousands of new trees being planted to preserve the character of the canal for years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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