Canal du Midi

The Fonseranes locks at Béziers The Canal du Midi across southern France was one of the great engineering projects of the 17th century, built under Pierre-Paul Riquet and opened to navigation in May 1681, months after his death in October 1680. To see its ingenuity in one place, go to the Fonseranes locks at Béziers, a staircase of linked chambers that climbs about 21.5 meters over roughly 300 meters. The site house has an immersive film on Riquet and the history of the canal, and watching it first makes the locks make sense. Then watch boats work their way up the staircase, walk or cycle the towpath, or take a boat through yourself.