Canal Du Midi by car from Beziers

[magpie patrick]

I may be spending a couple of days in Beziers in the autumn, and if I do I will have a full day to myself with car available. I know of the Fonserannes locks, which I'm likely to get to see anyway, so, given a day and a car from Beziers, what's worth searching out on the canal? I'm guessing the round lock at Agde would be a good starting point, but what else?

 

[X Alan W]

There used to be an interesting bit of boat viewing at Homps.  Trebes has locks & an interesting 90degree bend dependent on the day/s the hire boat base nearby let it's hirers loose there are a good number of roads in that area that follow the footprint cross recross the cut  the midi is pleasant area between Carcossonne & Beziers with generally good tow path

[Pluto]

One of the old river crossings, which now have aqueducts,or had flood protection, as below, and the Libron crossing, where a boat is moved into place to save the canal from flooding during high water in the river. There is also the Malpas tunnel, with the roman irrigation system nearby - the latter is none canal but worth seeing. If you go to Fonserannes, I would be interested to hear if they have their visitor centre open, and there is also an old river crossing nearby, which is now bypassed by an aqueduct.,

 

 

[Stilllearning]

While going to Malpas tunnel, hop up to the top of the hill. There is a lovely museum there with information about the Roman oppidum of Ensérune that was on the site, and the view of the astonishing Montady field system to the north is wonderful from the top of the hill. Malpas tunnel is just one of three tunnels in the same hill, that story is worth the journey in itself.

[Pluto]

The view in 1995:

[Stilllearning]

I still haven’t been able to find my pics from 2008.

The thought of the drainage works still makes me wonder how on earth it was actually done.

Edited June 12, 2018 by Stilllearning

[magpie patrick]

Thanks guys

 

I think that Malpas things may be of interest to the friends I am staying with on the rest of my trip, they also want to see the locks at Fonserannes, but are less likely to get excited about Demi-ecluses and flood defence stuff, which I'd better go to on my own if I value the friendship...

 

Looks like a fascinating day can be had without getting too far from Beziers