Online dictionary of France travel and tourism: Canal du midi

This is the online dictionary of France developed by Free Light Software. By clicking on a French word, you can find France related sites from French search engines. By clicking on a globe icon, you can display the locality on maps of France and Paris. By clicking on a thumbnail picture, you can enlarge it.

Japanese version

Canal du midi

French words: Canal du midi
alternative words: South canal, Southern canal
keywords: human heritage , tourist resort , transport
related topics: Toulouse
related web sites: http://www.canaldumidi.com
explanation: In 1662, French King Louis XIV asked Pierre Paul Riquet to create a direct navigable route from the Atlantic ocean to the Mediterranean sea by avoiding Spain hostile to France. Begun in 1666 and achieved in 1681 with 12000 workers, Canal du Midi connects Toulouse on Garonne river and Sete on the Mediterranean through ingenious mechanism such as tunnels and bridges over rivers. Considered as a major technical realization of 17th century, Canal du Midi has been enlisted to Unesco human heritage since 1996.