Canal du Midi A World Heritage Site

Travel Guide updated in February 2019.

The Canal du Midi, completed during the reign of Louis XIV, is extraordinary in its scope, representing one of the major works of civil engineering. Its conception, the ingenuity required by Pierre Paul Riquet to feed water to the canal and the creation of dozens of water features along its route, all testify to its exceptional technological innovation. It opened a safe and fast navigable link between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, thus providing commercial prosperity to the regions it crossed in the three centuries of its use.   

At a length of 240 kilometers, the Canal du Midi was the largest construction site of its time and today remains the oldest canal in Europe still in operation. Beyond the technical challenges overcome by Pierre Paul Riquet, it is the aesthetics of his architecture and the landscapes created that make the Canal du Midi so unique.   

Here you’ll find all the information necessary to prepare your trip and your stay along the Canal du Midi in order to discover this exceptional site of indisputable universal value. You will find the following under the sections for the site : the reasons for its selection for the World Heritage list, the history of the site, many practical informations (Tourist Offices, suggested tours, museums, events, transports), and a selection of accommodation and restaurants. Prices and opening hours shown are for 2019.   

You'll also find tips (transport, pricing, activities ... ), anecdotes and all the possibilities for family-friendly visits to encourage children and families in their discovery.    

Let us guide you...