History

Before the Canal

Way before the reign of Louis XIV, people dreamed of linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Sailing around the Spanish coast through the strait of Gibraltar, against tempests and barbarian assaults was hazardous crossing.

In fact Neron, Auguste under Roman time, Charlemagne, Francois Ist, Charles IX and Henri IV commissioned project studies. But all these attempts were unsuccessful.

The problem is to supply enough water to the canal and make the navigation possible at all time.

Between 1614 and 1662 no less than 5 projects were shown to the authorities but none of them solved this difficulty. Some proposed to pump up the water from the Garonne, from the Aude or from the Ariege rivers even if that ment going through the Saint Michel quarter in Toulouse!

The last project was to use the Sor river as a junction for the rivers Agout and Aude, to a canal that will flow into the Fresquel river.

Having studied the theory of Adam de Craponne(1526-1576) and in practice on the canal de Briare, Pierre Paul Riquet decided to bring water to the highest part of the future canal in order for it to run down on both sides. He traveled the lenght and breadth of the Montagne Noire. He planned to harness it's overflowing torrents and streams and forcibly channeled them into the Sor river.