The Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi, punctuated by 328 ‘state of the art’ engineering works (bridges, dams, locks, aquaducts and tunnels), runs for 240 kilometres from Toulouse to Sete to reach the Mediterranean.
Built from 1666 onwards, the “Canal of the two seas” visits Beziers, home town of Pierre Paul Riquet, its inventor; by means of 9 successive locks, it overcomes an altitude difference of 20 metres. Further on, it crosses over the Orb River thanks to a canal bridge and runs through Agde via a unique round lock which regulates the access of 3 waterways.

The Canal du Midi, a fantastic project which needed 15 years of work and more than 12,000 workers, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Its original commercial use has now been replaced by leisure activities: you can go on a cruise, rent a boat or just take a walk or ride a bike along the towpaths. The Canal du Midi, a sinuous and enchanting path of memory, should be followed.  Intensely.

 Interactive Map