Barging in France: Canal du Midi
The Malpas Tunnel is the World's Oldest Canal Tunnel
One of the joys of a hotel barge cruise is the chance to learn the fascinating history of the waterways. Whether you're cruising through a natural river gorge or through an awe-inspiring feat of human engineering, there are plenty of spectacles to surprise you during your journey.
Engineering enthusiasts who choose to cruise the Canal du Midi in France aboard either the French Hotel Barge Anjodi or Athos are treated to a particularly interesting experience: the Tunnel at Malpas. Also known as Voûte du Malpas (Vault of Malpas) or the Grotte du Malpas (Cave of Malpas), it is Europe's first and thus oldest navigable canal tunnel.
French Hotel Barge Anjodi
The Canal du Midi
During the reign of King Louis XIV, a 241-kilometer canal was commissioned in order to provide a trade route for wheat from the Languedoc region. The chief engineer, Pierre-Paul Riquet, struggled for 15 years with the challenges of such an ambitious project: the construction of the Canal du Midi. The finished canal is one of the most impressive feats of 17th century engineering, and in 1996, it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
Along its way, the Canal du Midi cuts through a hill that separates the valleys of the Aude and the Orb at a site called "Le Malpas," or "bad passage" in Occitan. Not only is it the only tunnel along the canal, it astonished contemporaries because it was the first time in history that a navigable canal was designed to go underground.
Building the Malpas Tunnel
The excavation of the Malpas Tunnel is one of the most important chapters in the canal's construction. In 1679, the project had reached the hill d'Ensérune in Hérault. The hill had already been the location of a smaller aqueduct tunnel to drain the Étang de Montady several centuries beforehand during the Middle Ages. Riquet reportedly drew inspiration for the Malpas Tunnel from this existing tunnel with the plan to dig through the hill to form a new larger shaft.
There were many detractors to this route, however, as it took the canal further away from the city of Narbonne which was of great importance and potentially causing economical harm. Initial excavation findings of unstable, brittle "tufa" sandstone alerted authorities to the risk of collapse.
Work on the Canal Halted
This was a serious blow to the project. The prime minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, immediately stopped the work when he heard the news and requested that the canal be rerouted to cross the River Aude rather than pass through the hill.
However, this option was no more attractive to Riquet. Carrying the canal over the River Aude came with its own set of problems, particularly with regards to potential flooding. Instead, he ordered that work on the tunnel be carried out in secret by his master mason, in spite of the dangers involved. In just eight days, the Malpas Tunnel was complete, with a lined ceiling throughout.
Is it the Malpas Tunnel or Malpas Passage?
As an interesting side note, the French word "tonnelle" which describes the rounded shape of a barrel, is thought to be the source of the English word "tunnel." This word entered the English language during the building of railroad tracks, for which many tunnels were excavated. Authors from the 17th and 18th centuries most frequently used the words "vault" or, less frequently, "cave" to refer to the Malpas passage, never using the word "tunnel."
In fact, there is a third tunnel at Malpas. The Béziers to Narbonne railway line is housed in a tunnel that was dug in the 19th century through the hill d'Ensérune and is beneath the Malpas canal tunnel. You will hear the train if it passes.
The Malpas Tunnel Today
Although relatively short at 165-meters long, it is remarkably wide and high with a vaulted roof that rises 8 meters above the surface of the water. Treat yourself to a first-hand view of the tunnel when you cruise the Canal du Midi aboard Anjodi or Athos on a Canal du Midi barge cruise.
In the era of Riquet, the tunnel was not arched. The arching was brought in for reinforcement around 1700. However, near the Capestang end, about 50 meters still don't have arches and the hewn rock is visible as you cruise below. Some cavities in the rock surface, the deepest of which measures 60 centimeters, have appeared due to humidity and erosion over three centuries but the structure remains strong. This tufa rock is therefore not as soft a rock as was initially believed.
Over 350 years later, the Malpas Tunnel remains a monument to Pierre-Paul Riquet's determination and ingenuity.
Discover the Malpas Tunnel Yourself
French Hotel Barge Athos
Ready to cruise the Malpas Tunnel and see this UNESCO World Heritage Site yourself? Contact Paradise Connections and we will be happy to assist with your Canal du Midi barge cruise.
Learn more about the Canal du Midi
- The Canal du Midi: More information
- Hotel Barge Anjodi: Online brochure
- Hotel Barge Athos: Online brochure
Canal du Midi between Carcassonne and Marseillan, France
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