The Canal du Midi, constructed by Pierre Paul Riquet between 1667 and 1681 under King Louis XIV, and enhanced until 1694 by the military architect Vauban, makes navigation possible between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
In order to supply the canal with water, the Saint-Ferréol dam was constructed for holding water in the basin.
At that time navigation was an efficient and economical way of transportation. The canal has a total length of 360 km and has 328 structures like locks, aqueducts, bridges and tunnels.
With the construction of the railway system in the 19th century, the use and importance of the canal started to decline. Currently the canal is mainly used for leisure navigation.