Les 9 Écluses de Fonseranes — Attraction in Béziers

A truly exceptional feat of surveying and engineering just outside Beziers. Can be reached from the centre of Beziers by tourist train, on foot or bicycle on one of the many tracks from the canal du midi or, obviously, by boat! The geography of the area makes the Neuf Écluse du Fonseranes and the nearby aqueduct over the river Orb amazing. Large changes in level, a wide river and a city on a rocky outcrop presented a challenge to the engineers in the 17th century, but they rose to the challenge in epic style. The site is beautiful to see and, if you enjoy engineering, it's fascinating to watch in action. The water management and the locks would be a significant project in modern day with powered earth moving equipment, GPS positioning and satellite surveying, but to build it before the advent of these is incredible. The flight of nine locks is very well worth visiting and, if you have time, walk the short distance to the aqueduct over the river Orb. Watching boats on a canal pass over the river 12m below is not something you see in many places. Also built in the 17th century, it's just another reason to explore the area just outside Beziers. We've cycled here (along the Canal du Midi tow path) from Portiraignes, and also Serignan, several times and it's a lovely day out. Pair it with a leisurely lunch in the historic centre of Bezier for a very scenic excursion. We...

A masterpiece still in operation, these 9 locks that follow one another, you should not hesitate to visit this place. In excellent condition and very well laid out, you can follow the paths along the canal and arrive near the very beautiful and old bridge.

From Toulouse, the Canal du Midi reaches Béziers via a 54-kilometer-long reach (a section of canal without locks). Over this distance, the canal remains at an altitude of 31.54 meters. But at Fonseranes, the canal must descend a steep 25-meter drop to reach the Orb, a necessary passage for boats heading to Agde.

To establish the connection between the canal and the Orb, an extraordinary lock was built. Thanks to a successful initial experiment in Castelnaudary, Riquet knew that the secret lay in a lock with multiple chambers.

Faced with the significant difference in altitude, Riquet and his works director decided to add eight chambers, twice as many as those of the Saint-Roch lock in Castelnaudary ! Work on the Fonseranes lock began in 1667 and was completed in 1680.

The structure is impressive! At 315 meters long and with a total drop of 21.18 meters, this lock ladder is the largest ever built...

An ideal spot to see / explore the UNESCO Canal Du Midi. A short walk from the car park up a boardwalk, which is mostly flat on a slight incline, there are spots of shade to explore or view the canal, stop to read or have a picnic. The day we went was extremely hot though and there wasn't a lot of shade waiting for the land train - only 1 person per family is allowed in to purchase tickets so this isn't really an option to cool off / get shade. The 8 locks are a fascinating spot to watch the boats navigate and you can also hire boats from along this stretch as well. The restaurant next to the visitors centre has some unparalleled views of the area and is a good place to wait and have a drink if you buy tickets for the land train which departs from outside the visitors centre. A round trip takes you into Beziers centre and there is an interactive commentary in about 10 different languages. The train is an affordable option for tired / young legs on a hot day.

As the canal is so long it was hard to know where to start so this is a brilliant choice if you want to see the best bits of the...