Before the canal
Chronology
Construction
Bibliography
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- Pierre-Paul RIQUET : a man 's genius -
Pierre Paul Riquet was born in Béziers, between 1604 and 1609. His birth certificate was never found. But it is most likely on june 29 1604. on the days of Saint Paul and Saint Pierre. Gherardo Arrighetti, his ancestor from Florence, was banished in 1268 for having joined the party of the Gibelins. He feared reprisals from Charles of Anjou. He fled from Italy and took refuge in Provence. Pierre-Paul Riquet died on October 1st 1680, in Toulouse before his great work was completed. As a young man he preferred speaking langue d’Oc to French. Only the sciences and mathematics interested him. At the age of 19, he married Catherine de Milhau, daughter of a middle class man from Beziers. with whom he had five children, two boys, Jean-Mathias and Pierre-Paul, and three girls, Catherine, Marthe and Anne. In 1630 he worked as an inspector for salt taxes in Languedoc and then in 1660 he was farmer general of Languedoc- Roussillon and Cerdagne. He was also a purveyor to the King 's armies. In 1662, as Baron de Bonrepos, he owned several apartments and properties in the community of Revel, near Verfeil, as well as 60 hectares of oak forest, 150 hectares of woods and land, and 4 small farms, not forgetting a residence in Toulouse at the Puits-Clos quarter , where he was Royal Judge and Seigneur of Bonrepos. 
This man had many exceptional qualities: endowed with a fantastic imagination, bold , enthusiastic as well as being acutely observant.He has great confidence in his own judgement. He had a pronounced business sense as well as having a strong determination in the way he tackled work. His spontaneity and openness were assets throughout his life. He was first of all a business man, respectful of the law. His wisdom and his kindness helped to oppose his detractors. He never sought to share responsibilities but always took on his engagements alone.
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