The best running trails around Pompertuzat

The Canal du Midi, formerly Canal Royal, is a 17th-century technical feat designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Today, it is above all a place for relaxation and discovery, where heritage, nature, and conviviality blend together.

Single lock, known as "single-chamber", it was built in 1670. It is one of the sixty-three locks that regulate the passage of barges from the port of l'Embouchure to the Thau lagoon. Its oval lock chamber is characteristic of the Canal du Midi; only the locks crossing Toulouse are rectangular.

The Canal du Midi, formerly Canal Royal, is a 17th-century technical feat designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Today, it is above all a place for relaxation and discovery, where heritage, nature, and conviviality blend together.

Round arch bridge typical of the late 17th century, which could date back to the construction of the Canal. It shows traces of the destruction of its vault by Soult's army after the Battle of Toulouse on April 10, 1814, and its repair in 1821. Watering trough attached to the upstream side of the left bank abutment.

Typical semi-circular arch bridge from the late 17th century, which could date back to the construction of the Canal. It shows traces of the destruction of its vault by Soult's army after the battle of Toulouse on April 10, 1814, and its repair in 1821. Watering trough attached to the upstream side of the left bank abutment.

The Canal du Midi, formerly the Royal Canal, is a 17th-century technical feat designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Today, it is above all a place for relaxation and discovery, where heritage, nature, and conviviality blend together.

The Donneville bridge appears on the 1808 Napoleonic cadastre map. It is part of the bridges built during Riquet's time. However, it was destroyed on April 12, 1814 by Marshal Soult during the battle of Toulouse. Indeed, driven out of Spain, the French soldiers retreated to Toulouse to resist better, but the hostility of the predominantly royalist population forced them to fall back to Castelnaudary. Marshal Soult, anxious to keep his army intact while retreating south of the Canal du Midi, protected his retreat and blew up the bridges, including the one at Donneville. In 1821, the bridge was rebuilt identically.

As you can imagine, the lock owes its name to a wild boar. The story goes that in 1669, masons working on the construction site of the Canal du Midi slaughtered a huge wild boar trapped in the lock chamber of the lock under construction. Pierre-Paul Riquet passed by the construction site that same day, bought the wild boar and had it transported to Pézenas. He also took the opportunity to offer a banquet to some of his friends who were sitting in the States of Languedoc gathered in that city.