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A cruise through history on the Canal du Midi
Designed as a shortcut between the Atlantic and the Med, today the scenic waterway from Toulouse to Sète is seen as a living ‘work of art’
TL;DR
- The Canal du Midi, completed in 1681, is a 17th-century engineering marvel connecting the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
- It was designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to shorten voyages and bypass Spain, becoming a vital route for commerce.
- Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, the canal is celebrated as a 'work of art' as well as a technical achievement.
- Today, it attracts over 70,000 visitors annually, with popular sections including Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Béziers.
- The route offers diverse travel experiences, from renting barges to cycling along the towpath, and features historic sites like the Fonseranes locks and Malpas tunnel.
- Key towns along the canal include Castelnaudary, famous for cassoulet, and Sète, a lively port town at its eastern end.