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Origin and history

Aqueduct-siphon de Castanet, also known as aqueduct de Vauban, is a hydraulic structure located in Castanet-Tolosan, in the Haute-Garonne region of Occitanie. Built between 1687 and 1689 by architect Dominique Gillade, it is one of many aqueducts of the Canal du Midi. Its role is to allow the passage of the creek of Lascardes (or Castanet) under the canal, thanks to a siphon system. The quality of its construction, including the use of puzzolane, a resistant hydraulic mortar, reflects the technical know-how of the time. The structure is close to Castanet's double lock, strengthening its integration into the canal hydraulic system.

The aqueduct has a head of entry to the unusual plan for the works of the Canal du Midi, although redesigned at an indefinite time, and a head of exit closer to its original state. Traces of mortar at the pozzolane, dating from its construction, are still visible. Both heads suffered degradation due to recent developments, and the site was altered by extended work in 1978. Nearby, there is an old lock house of the early 19th century and the remains of a mill, illustrating the evolution of the uses around the canal.

Ranked as historical monuments by order of 24 April 1998, the Castanet waterworks is a major testimony of the hydraulic engineering of the seventeenth century. Its environment, marked by the presence of the double lock and the infrastructure linked to the canal, underlines its importance in the system designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet. Despite the changes experienced over the centuries, there remains an emblematic example of the aqueducts of the Canal du Midi, associated with the legacy of Vauban and modern engineers.

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