Canal du Midi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Canal du Midi
The Orb Aqueduct, which allows the Canal du Midi to cross the river Orb in Béziers
Specifications
Length	240 km (150 mi)
Maximum boat length	30 m (98 ft)
Maximum boat beam	5.50 m (18.0 ft)
Locks	65 (originally 86)
Maximum height above sea level	189 m (620 ft)
Minimum height above sea level	0 m (0 ft)
Navigation authority	VNF
History
Former names	Canal royal en Languedoc
Modern name	Canal du Midi
Current owner	State of France
Original owner	Pierre-Paul Riquet
Principal engineer	Pierre-Paul Riquet
Other engineer(s)	Marshal Sebastien Vauban, Louis Nicolas de Clerville, François Andréossy
Date approved	1666
Construction began	1667
Date of first use	May 20, 1681; 344 years ago (1681-05-20)
Date completed	15 May 1681
Geography
Start point	Toulouse
End point	Étang de Thau
Beginning coordinates	43°36′40″N 1°25′06″E / 43.61102°N 1.41844°E / 43.61102; 1.41844
Ending coordinates	43°20′24″N 3°32′23″E / 43.34003°N 3.53978°E / 43.34003; 3.53978 Les Onglous Lighthouse
Branch of	Canal des Deux Mers
Connects to	Garonne Lateral Canal, La Nouvelle branch, Canal de Brienne, Hérault, and Étang de Thau
Summit:	Seuil de Naurouze
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iv, vi
Inscription	1996 (20th Session)

The Canal du Midi (pronounced Canal doo Mee-dee) is a 240 km (150 mi) long waterway in Southern France. It was first called the Royal Canal in Languedoc. In 1789, during the French Revolution, its name changed to Canal du Midi. People consider it one of the most amazing building projects of the 1600s.

This canal links the Garonne River to the Étang de Thau, a large lake on the Mediterranean coast. Together with the 193 km (120 mi) long Canal de Garonne, it forms the Canal des Deux Mers. This larger canal system connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Canal du Midi specifically refers to the part built from Toulouse to the Mediterranean. The bigger "Deux-Mers" project aimed to connect several waterways. It used the Canal du Midi, then the Garonne River, and later the Garonne Lateral Canal. Finally, it connected to the Gironde estuary near Bordeaux.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert, a powerful minister, approved the canal's construction in 1666. The goal was to help trade, especially for wheat. Pierre-Paul Riquet oversaw the project. Building lasted from 1666 to 1681, during the rule of Louis XIV. The Canal du Midi is one of Europe's oldest canals still in use today. One big challenge was getting water from the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains) to the highest point of the canal, called the Seuil de Naurouze.

In 1996, UNESCO named the Canal du Midi a World Heritage Site. This was because of its amazing engineering and beautiful design. In 2016, it was also recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Exploring the Canal du Midi

Where is the Canal du Midi?

The Canal du Midi is in the south of France. It runs through the areas of Hérault, Aude, and Haute-Garonne. It is 240 kilometres (150 mi) long. It starts in the west at Port de l'Embouchure in Toulouse. It ends in the east at Les Onglous in Marseillan. Here, it flows into the étang de Thau.

The Canal du Midi is a summit-level canal. This means it climbs to a high point. From Toulouse, it rises 57.18 metres (187.6 ft) over 52 kilometres (32 mi) to the Seuil de Naurouze. This summit is 189.43 metres (621.5 ft) above sea level. From there, it drops down to the sea over the remaining 188 kilometres (117 mi).

The canal was designed to be two metres (6.6 ft) deep. Boats can have a draft of 1.50 metres (4.9 ft). However, users say boats might touch the bottom at 1.40 metres (4.6 ft) due to silt. The canal is about 20 metres (66 ft) wide at the surface. Its bed is 10 metres (33 ft) wide.

The canal's path shows it rising from Toulouse to Seuil de Naurouze. Then it goes down past Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, and Trèbes. It continues to Béziers, through the Fonserannes Locks, and then to Agde. It finally ends at Sète on the étang de Thau.

The longest section between locks is 53.87 kilometres (33.47 mi). This is between Argens Lock and the Fonserannes Locks. The shortest section is only 105 m (344 ft) long. This is between the two Fresquel locks.

Who owns and manages the canal?

The Canal du Midi has a special legal status because of its history. The State of France owns the canal. Its management is handled by Voies navigables de France (VNF). This public group works under the Ministry of Transport. They are in charge of keeping the canal working and maintained.

Building the Canal: A Grand History

Early ideas for a canal

Building a canal between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea was an old dream. Many leaders, like Charlemagne and Henry IV, thought about it. It was a big political and economic goal. In 1516, King François I even asked Leonardo da Vinci to look into a route.

A canal would save ships from sailing all the way around Spain. This long journey could take a month and was dangerous. Ships faced piracy and attacks from Barbary pirates.

Earlier plans in the 1500s and 1600s failed. They didn't solve the main problem: how to get enough water to the highest parts of the canal. People thought it was impossible.

Then, Pierre-Paul Riquet came along. He was a wealthy tax collector. In 1662, he proposed a much better plan. King Louis XIV saw this as a chance to weaken Spain and create a lasting legacy for his rule.

Riquet's brilliant plan

Managing a canal is easier than managing a river. A canal's water flow can be controlled. This ensures boats can travel all year. The Canal du Midi needed to cross a high point, the Seuil de Naurouze. This made it a summit-level canal.

Riquet found the key solution in 1660: how to supply water to the highest point. His idea was to collect water from the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains). He knew the area's water systems well. He planned an clever system to bring water to the Seuil de Naurouze. He was inspired by another French engineer, Adam de Craponne.

Riquet planned to build dams and reservoirs to store mountain water. Then, channels would carry this water to the Seuil de Naurouze. The Sor River, near Revel, was a main source. Other rivers from the Montagne Noire were also part of the plan. This region gets a lot of rain, about twice as much as the plains.

To store water, Riquet planned three basins. These included the Bassin de Saint-Ferréol, with a huge earth dam. This dam was the largest civil engineering work in Europe at the time.

In 1664, Riquet built a test channel. It diverted water from the Sor to the Seuil de Naurouze. This Rigole de la plaine proved his idea worked. It showed that water could reach the canal's highest points. This convinced the king's experts that the canal was possible.

Some early challenges

Riquet's plan for water supply was strong. However, the exact path of the canal was not fully set. Changes could be made as they built it. For example, the route to the Mediterranean was first planned for Narbonne, then changed to Sète.

Riquet learned as he went. He didn't have formal technical training. He used experiments and observations. He measured water flow and calculated volumes. He also had many skilled technicians helping him.

He even built a small model of the canal on his own property. It had locks, tunnels, and spillways. This helped him test his ideas before the real construction began.

Why the canal was important

France's economy was struggling. Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the finance minister, wanted to boost trade. He saw Riquet's canal project as a way to do this. The canal would create a direct path between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. This would avoid the Strait of Gibraltar, which was controlled by Spain.

Colbert hoped to hurt Spanish trade and create new trade routes through Languedoc. This region had many resources like wheat, wine, and salt. But producers struggled to export them. The canal would help distribute goods and strengthen the king's power.

How the canal was funded

In October 1666, King Louis XIV approved the project. He gave Riquet and his family the right to own and operate the canal. This included rights to fishing and hunting along the canal. Riquet also gained the right to build mills and warehouses. The decree also set rules for tolls and traffic.

Riquet agreed to pay for part of the construction himself. The rest would come from the State. The total cost was much higher than first planned, between 17 and 18 million livres (old French money). The King paid 40%, the province paid 40%, and Riquet paid 20%. His family continued to pay for over 50 years.

Building the Canal: The hard work

Riquet, at 63, started this huge project. He sent his engineers to the Montagne Noire to work on the water supply. This system was a masterpiece of engineering. It successfully fed the canal with water.

Work began on January 1, 1667. They started building the Rigole de la plaine. On April 15, 1667, the first stone of the Lac de Saint-Ferréol dam was laid. This dam was a huge new idea. No reservoir of this size had been built before. It was 700 metres (2,300 ft) long and 30 metres (98 ft) high.

In November 1667, a ceremony marked the start of the Garonne lock in Toulouse. By 1671-1672, the section from Seuil de Naurouze to Toulouse was filled with water. Boats could start using it. By 1673, the section from Naurouze to Trèbes was finished.

The second part of the canal, from Trèbes to the Mediterranean Sea, began in 1671. This included building the port of Sète. This section had challenges, like crossing the Hérault and Libron rivers. Riquet used clever systems of valves and a round lock to solve these.

Another challenge was the Malpas Tunnel. This was the first canal tunnel ever built. The canal goes through a 173-metre (568 ft) tunnel under a hill. Riquet also built the eight lock chambers at Fonserannes to help boats go down to the Orb River.

Riquet died in October 1680, before the canal was fully finished. The king's engineer, La Feuille, took over. The canal officially opened for navigation on May 15, 1681. It was fully open to traffic by May 1683.

Workers and their conditions

For 15 years, about 12,000 workers built the canal. Riquet hired men and women aged 20 to 50. They worked in organized groups. All the digging was done by hand, with shovels and pickaxes. Farmers and local workers made up the workforce. Riquet even hired soldiers when needed.

Riquet offered good pay and benefits, which was rare for the time. Workers got paid even on rainy days, Sundays, and holidays. They also got paid sick leave. This helped keep his workforce loyal. Pay started at 20 sols (1 livre) per day, which was double a farmer's wage. Later, it was adjusted to 10 livres per month.

Women workers were very important. Many came from areas with old Roman water traditions. They helped design the water supply channels and built the Fonserannes lock staircase. Their knowledge was crucial for the project.

Many different skilled workers were involved. Masons built bridges and locks. Blacksmiths kept tools in shape. Carters and carriers moved materials. Gunpowder was used to blast rocks.

Improvements after Riquet

In 1686, Vauban, a famous engineer, inspected the canal. He found it needed repairs. He ordered new work to extend the water supply system from the Montagne Noire. He also strengthened the Bassin de Saint-Ferréol dam. Riquet had underestimated how much rivers would silt up the canal during floods.

Vauban added many stone structures. These helped control water levels and prevent rivers from silting the canal. He built 49 culverts and aqueducts, like the Cesse and Orbiel aqueducts. These improvements greatly helped water management.

The Canal du Midi still had some gaps. It didn't go through Carcassonne or Narbonne. And to reach Bordeaux, boats had to use the Garonne River, which had changing water levels. Over time, new canals were built to fix these issues. The Canal de Jonction (1776) connected to Narbonne. The Canal de Brienne (1776) bypassed a difficult part of the Garonne in Toulouse. The connection to the Rhone River was finished in 1808. Finally, the Canal Latéral de la Garonne (1857) completed the link between the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

How the canal was managed

Riquet's descendants managed the canal for many years. They set up a clear organization. A "Director-General of the Canal" oversaw regional directors. These directors were responsible for maintenance in their zones. Hundreds of lock-keepers managed the locks. This system helped control staff and operations.

The canal made a lot of money. By the 1770s, it earned 640,000 livres a year. Half went to maintenance and salaries, and half was profit. By 1785, profits reached 950,000 livres, a huge sum for that time.

Keeping the canal in shape

Maintaining the canal was a constant challenge. Silt from the water supply and leaves from trees would build up. Every winter, the canal closed for two months for cleaning. Workers had to re-dig the canal bed. Weeds also grew in the canal, which was hard to control.

Rain, frost, and drought could cause leaks and cracks. Managers had to constantly check and repair the canal. Today, the same maintenance work is needed, but it's done with machines. About 350 employees from VNF maintain the canal.

The Canal's Life: From Trade to Tourism

How the canal was used

At first, the Canal du Midi carried goods and people. Small sailing barges, pulled by men or horses, were common. By the mid-1700s, horses did most of the towing. Steam tugs appeared in 1834. By 1838, 273 boats regularly used the canal. Passenger and mail boats were also very busy.

A special postal service used boats on the canal. These boats were pulled by horses on towpaths. This transport was seen as amazing. It was regular, comfortable, safe, and faster than roads. The journey from Toulouse to Sète took four days.

By 1855, the trip was cut to 32 hours. This was thanks to changing horses every 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). Also, travelers switched boats at locks to save time and water. Journeys even happened at night. In 1684, a trip from Toulouse to Agde cost one and a half livres. Prices were set by distance.

The canal mainly carried wheat and wine from Languedoc. This made Riquet's family very rich. The canal helped producers sell their goods in more places. It also brought products like Marseille soap, rice, and spices into Languedoc. However, it never became a major international route. Its trade was mostly local and national.

The boats that used the canal

When it opened, most boats on the canal carried goods. These boats were about 20 metres (66 ft) long. They were pulled by horses or men. Over time, their carrying capacity grew from 60 tonnes to 120 tonnes. By 1778, there were about 250 barges. In 1914, there were 126 "owned boats" and 70 rented ones.

In the 1930s, motor barges replaced animal power. This helped commercial traffic for a while. But by the late 1980s, commercial shipping on the canal stopped. The year 1856 was a record for trade, with over 110 million tonne-kilometres of cargo.

Horses were very important for 250 years. A horse could tow up to 120 times its own weight on water. This made animal power a key part of the canal's operation.

Passenger boats, called "mail-barges," started simple. They had a basic shelter. Over time, they became faster and more luxurious. The largest could be 30 metres (98 ft) long. They offered different classes, with first class having private lounges and dinner service.

Competition from trains

The canal didn't quite achieve all its economic goals. After 200 years, trains and roads started to compete with it. The canal was most active in the mid-1800s. In 1858, Napoleon III gave control of the canal to a railway company for 40 years. This made boat traffic decline even more. The railway company favored trains and charged higher fees for canal use.

The railway was faster and smoother. The Canal du Midi also suffered from its limited size for larger boats. By 1879, freight traffic on the canal had halved compared to 1856.

The State took back control in 1898. They invested money and removed taxes to try and revive traffic. This helped, and traffic increased to 80 million tonne-kilometres by 1909.

The end of commercial shipping

After World War I, traffic was disrupted. In the 1920s, motorized barges helped freight traffic recover. But the canal was too small for newer, larger barges. Trains and then road transport became even more competitive. The Canal du Midi became the third choice for transport.

Commercial shipping stopped in the 1970s. By 1980, only two barges were still running regularly. They stopped completely in 1989 due to a drought. Since 1991, Voies navigables de France (VNF) has managed the canal.

The Canal du Midi today

Since the late 1900s, the canal has offered many activities. It can still connect boats between the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

A canal for fun and tourism

Today, the Canal du Midi is mainly used by tourists. People enjoy river tourism, like renting boats, dining on restaurant-boats, or staying on hotel barges. Tourism grew a lot from the 1960s, especially from Britain. It really took off in the 1980s.

The canal is very popular. It accounts for one-fifth of all river tourism in France. About 80% of visitors are foreigners, mainly from Germany, Switzerland, and Britain. Around 10,000 boats pass through the Fonséranes locks each year. The canal supports about 1,900 jobs.

The canal is open for boats from mid-March to early November. The winter months are for maintenance. The Canal du Midi also offers other activities. These include rowing, canoeing, fishing, cycling, and hiking along its banks. Some parts have paved paths perfect for cycling. Many barges have been turned into homes, theaters, or restaurants.

A canal for water supply

During dry seasons, the canal acts as a water reservoir for agriculture. About 700 irrigation pumps are along the canal. This is a key role for the canal today. It can irrigate up to 40,000 hectares (150 sq mi) of farmland.

The Rigole de la plaine brings water from the Sor River to the canal. Other reservoirs, like the Lac de la Ganguise, also supply water. The Ganguise lake was expanded in 2005 to hold 44 million cubic meters of water. It can supply the canal during dry periods.

The canal also provides drinking water. Water treatment plants, like Picotalen, have been using canal water since 1973. They supply drinking water to over 185 towns in the region.

The Canal as a treasure

The Canal du Midi was once a tool for trade. Now, it's seen as an amazing piece of history and engineering. In 1996, UNESCO added the canal to its World Heritage Sites list. This recognition led to a rapid increase in tourists.

However, maintaining the canal is a big job. Many groups are involved, but funding can be a challenge. The plane trees along the canal are a problem. Their roots damage the banks, and they are dying from a disease called canker stain. All 42,000 plane trees will need to be cut down and replaced.

The canal's age makes maintenance expensive. Its tourism income is low compared to costs. VNF, the canal's manager, works with local groups to help maintain it. The UNESCO status means any changes must protect its historic value.

Amazing Structures of the Canal

The Canal du Midi is 240 km (150 mi) long. It has 328 structures. These include 63 locks, 126 bridges, 55 aqueducts, 7 aqueducts, 6 dams, 1 spillway, and 1 tunnel.

How the canal gets its water

The canal needs 90 million cubic meters of water each year. Riquet created a complex system to supply it. He captured water from the Montagne Noire, many kilometers away. Then, channels brought it to the Seuil de Naurouze, the canal's highest point.

These channels are called the "Rigole de la montagne" (Mountain Channel) and "Rigole de la plaine" (Plain Channel). They connect three reservoirs (Lampy, Cammazes, and Saint-Ferréol) to the Seuil de Naurouze.

The Bassin de Saint-Ferréol is the main water reservoir. It holds 6.3 million cubic meters of water. It was built between 1667 and 1672. It gets water from the Montagne Noire via the Mountain Channel. The lake's water is held by a dam 786 m (2,579 ft) long.

Riquet had planned a third reservoir at Naurouze, but it was abandoned. It filled with silt too quickly. Later, other reservoirs were built. The Cammazes dam (1957) provides 20 million cubic meters of water. Four million of this is for the Canal du Midi.

The locks of the canal

The first locks Riquet built were not strong enough. They collapsed. He then redesigned them with rounded side walls. These thicker, rounded walls were much stronger. This unique design is called Baroque style.

The locks were built from stone and sealed with lime. They had double wooden doors. A valve in the door, controlled by a rack and pinion, allowed water to drain.

Original locks were 29.2 m (96 ft) long and 5.8 m (19 ft) wide at the doors. They were 11 m (36 ft) wide in the middle. Over time, many locks were changed.

At Béziers, there's a staircase of eight locks at Fonsérannes. This allows boats to go down to the Orb river. These locks were cut from solid rock. They were built by two brothers and a workforce mostly of women.

Some locks are truly special. The Agde Round Lock has three doors. It allows boats to go to different parts of the canal or into the Hérault river. This protects the canal from river floods. Today, most locks are electric, replacing manual operation.

Ports along the canal

Many ports were built along the canal. They were used for loading and unloading goods. They also served as stops for travelers. Toulouse has two ports: the port de l'Embouchure and Port Saint-Sauveur.

Castelnaudary has a large port called Grand Basin. It was built between 1666 and 1671. It was a halfway stop between Toulouse and Sète. Carcassonne also has a port, built in 1810. The port of Trèbes is a major stop with many boat moorings. Other important ports include Homps and Le Somail.

Near the Mediterranean, there are ports at Agde and Onglous in Marseillan. Onglous is the last port before Sète and the sea. Newer ports, like Port-Sud in Ramonville-Saint-Agne, have also been built.

Aqueducts and other structures

Several aqueducts were built on the Canal du Midi. They allow the canal to cross rivers without mixing their waters. This prevents floods and silt from entering the canal. Some aqueducts are from Riquet's time, but many were added later by Vauban.

Notable aqueducts include:

• Orb aqueduct (1857): This helped boats cross the difficult Orb river.
• Cesse aqueduct
• Répudre aqueduct (1667-1676): The first aqueduct built by Riquet.
• Orbiel aqueduct at Trèbes
• Fresquel aqueduct (1810): Built to connect Carcassonne to the canal.
• Herbettes aqueduct (1983): A modern aqueduct in Toulouse.

Other important structures:

• The Malpas Tunnel: This 165 m (541 ft) long tunnel was a huge technical challenge for its time. It goes through a hill.

• The Argent-Double spillway: This structure in La Redorte has eleven stone arches. It lets excess water flow out of the canal into a stream.

• The Fonserannes water slope: This was built to bypass the Fonserannes locks. It helps save time and allows larger boats to pass.

• The Ouvrages du Libron: This unique system allows the canal to cross the Libron river near Agde.

• Watermills: Many watermills were built along the canal. They used the water's power to grind grain. Later, they became large Gristmills.

Nature and Wildlife along the Canal

The Canal du Midi is a long stretch of water that attracts many animals. Fish like bream live and breed in the canal. Other animals, like Molluscs, also live there. Invasive Coypu (river rats) and Muskrats dig into the banks, causing damage. Many birds and animals also come to drink from the canal.

The canal is also very green. Riquet planted trees to stabilize the banks. Willow trees were common because they grew fast. He also planted irises to help prevent the banks from sinking. In the 1700s, trees became a source of income. Mulberry trees were planted for silkworms. Later, poplar trees replaced them.

Today, plane trees are the most common trees along the canal. However, they are infected with a disease called canker stain. This disease is caused by a fungus. There is no cure, so the infected trees must be cut down. All 42,000 plane trees will eventually need to be replaced. New trees like ash and lime are being planted.

The Canal du Midi: A Lasting Example

The Canal du Midi was one of the greatest achievements of the late 1600s. Pierre-Paul Riquet mastered the water system of the Montagne Noire to feed the canal. King Louis XIV supported it as a symbol of his power and greatness.

Famous encyclopedias, like Diderot and D'Alembert's Encyclopédie, praised the canal. They compared it to ancient Roman structures. Other writers also celebrated its engineering. For a long time, it was the only canal of its size in Europe.

The American Thomas Jefferson, who later became president, studied the Canal du Midi in 1787. He was inspired to build a similar canal in the United States. The Hungarian reformer István Széchenyi also visited in the 1820s. He was so impressed that it inspired him to improve navigation on the Danube and Tisza rivers in his own country.

Key People Connected to the Canal

• Pierre-Paul Riquet: The brilliant designer of the Canal du Midi. He gained ownership and operation rights for himself and his family. He died just before the canal was finished.
• Jean-Baptiste Colbert: King Louis XIV's finance minister. He helped approve the project and saw its economic importance.
• Sebastien Le Prestre de Vauban: A famous royal engineer. He made many important improvements to the canal after it was built.
• François Andreossy: A close helper of Riquet. He continued the work after Riquet's death.
• Louis Nicolas de Clerville: An engineer who helped oversee the construction and advised Riquet.