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Béziers and Pierre-Paul Riquet

Ingenious inventor and visionary, and born in Béziers, Pierre-Paul Riquet was sufficiently passionate as an engineer to rise to positions both as a captain of industry and as a captain of finance in order to realise his wildest dreams.

le canal du midi Le Canal du Midi - paul riquet

In 1661, Pierre-Paul Riquet was 60 years old when his idea of linking the Atlantic with the Mediterranean appeared feasible at last.

It took more than 20 years and 12.000 men to dig what would become a 240km long work of art, the Canal du Midi. It would age him, and ruin the Riquet family fortune, but the old man was obstinate and persistent...

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Béziers France - Towns South France

Béziers

Béziers historic town rises in terraces from the banks of the river Orb and Canal du Midi.

Le Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi

Pierre-Paul Riquet was responsible for opening the Canal du Midi, waterway between the Mediterran...

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