Start of canal works 1667 (≈ 1667)
Launch by Riquet between Toulouse and Naurouse.
1672
Completion of the first section
Completion of the first section 1672 (≈ 1672)
Toulouse-Naurouse finished, including Laurens.
1682
Final completion of the canal
Final completion of the canal 1682 (≈ 1682)
Full opening of the Two Seas.
19 septembre 1996
Classification triple lock
Classification triple lock 19 septembre 1996 (≈ 1996)
Registration for historical monuments.
1997
Lock house ranking
Lock house ranking 1997 (≈ 1997)
Official protection of the building.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Pierre-Paul Riquet - Hydraulic engineer
Manufacturer of the Canal du Midi.
Louis XIV - King of France
Sponsor of the project during his reign.
Origin and history
Laurens' lockhouse is part of a set of triple locks on the Canal du Midi, built around 1674. It is located 58.7 km from Toulouse, 180 m above sea level, between the locks of the Domergue and Roc. This canal, originally named Canal du Languedoc or Canal des Deux Mers, was designed by engineer Pierre-Paul Riquet during the reign of Louis XIV. Work began in 1667, and the first section (Toulouse-Naurouse) was completed in 1672. The canal was completely completed in 1682 after corrections.
Laurens' triple lock, including the lockhouse, is classified as historical monuments: the lock since 1996 and the house since 1997. This site illustrates 17th century hydraulic engineering, designed to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The Canal du Midi, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (although not mentioned in the sources), remains a major testimony to France's economic and technical ambition under Louis XIV.
The town of Mas-Saintes-Puelles, in Aude (Occitanie), is home to this river heritage. The lock house, typical of the canal's infrastructure, was used to house the lockmen responsible for regulating traffic. Its architecture reflects the functional needs of the time, with a strategic location on the river public domain. The approximate GPS coordinates (1908 Chemin de Ricaud) and Insee 11225 confirm its territorial anchorage.
