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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Castries Waterway is a 6,822-metre-long hydraulic structure located in the town of Castries, in the department of Herault. Built in 1670, it was designed to bring water from the Fontgrand spring to the central basin and the gardens of Castries Castle. Its layout combines underground sections, hillside portions and elevated arcades, with a total elevation of only three metres.

It was realized under the direction of engineer Pierre-Paul Riquet, known for his work on the Canal du Midi. Its construction was initiated at the request of André Le Nôtre, the chief gardener of the gardens of Versailles, in order to feed the landscape of the castle. The work illustrates the advanced hydraulic techniques of the time, adapted to a varied relief.

Ranked as a historical monument since 8 September 1949, the aqueduct testifies to the importance of water supply networks in the development of the aristocratic domains of the Great Century. Its mixed architecture, both functional and aesthetic, reflects 17th-century engineering and landscape concerns.

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