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Origin and history

The Saint-Clément aqueduct, also known as the Arceaux aqueduct, is a major hydraulic structure built between 1753 and 1765 under the direction of engineer Henri Pitot, to supply Montpellier with water. It captures the sources of Saint-Clément-de-Rivière and Lez, crossing the communes of Montferrier-sur-Lez and Montpellier for almost 14 km. Its architecture, inspired by the Pont du Gard, combines two levels of superimposed arcades to limit the risks of cracking. Inaugurated on 7 December 1765, it met a growing need for water for the city, after centuries of aborted projects (from the 13th century).

Modified several times to increase its flow rate (extension to the Lez in 1859, underground pipe added in 1931), the aqueduct was decommissioned in 1983. Its most emblematic parts, such as the bridge-aqueduct of the Lironde (254 m, double arcades) or the section of the Arceaux in Montpellier (880 m, 53 large arches), were protected as historical monuments (inscriptions in 1954, 1994, and 2022 for the whole course). The castle of the Peyrou, a hexagonal end point with Corinthian columns, marked its culmination.

The work illustrates 18th century hydraulic engineering, combining functionality and aesthetics. Its construction was decided by the Montpellier City Council in 1751, with a first stone laid on 13 June 1753. The initial flow rate of 25 l/s was multiplied by ten thanks to subsequent adjustments. Today, although unexploited, there remains a major testimony of the industrial and architectural heritage of Occitanie, with occasional restorations such as that of Saint Clement's source in 2012.

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