Canal des Deux Mers explained

Canal des Deux Mers
Canal Length:	Canal du Midi 240km (150miles) Garonne Lateral Canal 193km (120miles)
Current Num Locks:	Canal du Midi 65 locks Garonne Lateral Canal 53 locks
Date Began:	Canal du Midi 1666 Garonne Lateral Canal 1838
Date Completed:	Canal du Midi 1681 Garonne Lateral Canal 1856

The Canal des Deux Mers (in French pronounced as /kanal de dø mɛʁs/; English: Canal of the Two Seas) has been used to describe two different but similar things since the 1660s. In some cases, it is used interchangeably with the Canal du Midi. In others, it describes the path from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean of which the Canal du Midi was the first artificial component.^{[1] [2]}

Route

The route from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean includes, from west to east, in sequence:

• • Enter the Gironde estuary from the Atlantic Gironde estuary is formed by the confluence of the Dordogne and the Garonne
  • Gironde estuary continues into the Garonne The river Garonne connects to the Garonne Lateral Canal at Castets-en-Dorthe
• Garonne Lateral Canal terminates in Toulouse and connects to the Canal du Midi
• Canal du Midi begins in Toulouse, and there are two paths available from it to the Mediterranean.
• Path 1 - Turn off Canal du Midi and join the
  • Canal de Jonction which connects into the river Aude
  • Aude connects to Canal de la Robine
  • Canal de la Robine flows into the Mediterranean Sea
• Path 2 - Continue to end of Canal du Midi and continue into the
  • Étang de Thau which joins to the Canal du Rhône à Sète
  • Canal du Rhône à Sète flows into the Mediterranean Sea

Notes and References

1. Book: Jefferson, David . Through the French Canals . Adlard Coles Nautical . 2009 . 275. 978-1-4081-0381-4 .
2. Book: Midi Camargue Waterways Guide 7 . Editions Du Breil . 2-913120-04-0 .