Le Canal des Deux Mers

The Canal of the two seas (Le canal de deux mers)
This was taken at Montech in the Tarn & Garonne (82) département in south west France.

If any of you remember "Rick Steins French Odyssey" - Rick went from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean on a boat, stopping off here and there to cook local delicacies or to buy fresh foods from local producers and markets.

Rick came to Montech and with his boat went up the Pente d'eau de Montech - The Water slope at Montech which is the only one of its kind in the world - it is just behind me when I took this photo

The Canal des Deux Mers is the result of an early example of regional planning on a grand scale, backed up by strategic military interest, since the kings of France, from Henri IV onwards, dreamed of this inland waterway and the impact it would have in political terms.

Trade between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean would thus be saved the perilous detour via Gibraltar.

Pierre Paul Riquet, Baron of Bonrepos, who turned the dream into reality. He was the visionary entrepreneur who devoted the last 20 years of his life to the mammoth task of building the Canal du Midi (240 km, from Toulouse to the Bassin de Thau, and 101 locks).

UNESCO gave the Canal du Midi the prestigious World Heritage label. "Canal des Deux Mers" is the name now commonly used for the entire navigable route which extends for nearly 500km from Bordeaux to Sète.

The Canal des Deux Mers - two canals, and a navigable river

The Canal du Midi
240 km from the Port de l'Embouchure (Les Ponts-Jumeaux) in Toulouse to the Onglous lighthouse on the Bassin de Thau, and its feeder system from the Montagne Noire.

Le Canal latéral à la Garonne
193 km from Toulouse (Port de l'Embouchure) to Castets-en-Dorthe.

La Garonne
54 km, from Castets-en-Dorthe to the Pont de Pierre in Bordeaux.

Branches

La Nouvelle branch (Canal de Jonction and Canal de la Robine), 37 km
Canal de Brienne in Toulouse, 1,6 km
Montech branch from Montech to Montauban, 11 km
locks down to the river Tarn at Moissac
locks down to the river Baïse at Buzet-sur-Baïse.

World canals.com