Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Laudot spreader is a complex hydraulic structure built in the 2nd half of the 18th century, integrated into the system of regulation of the Canal du Midi. Located at the confluence of La Plaine and Laudot Creek, it plays four major roles: admitting the Audot and Saint-Ferréol waters into the drain, discarding the surpluses in the lower courtyard, isolating the disturbed waters during the drains, and barring the floods. Its stone structure, rare for the canal, includes retaining walls (including the Wall of Vauban), underground vaults (Voûte d'Enfer, Voûte des Robinets), and a vegetated slope. The stone size details, characteristic of the eighteenth century, correspond to an inscription dated 1761 on the wall near the guard house.

The construction began long before, in 1667, with the laying of the first stone by the archbishop of Toulouse, followed by the construction of the empty vaults (completed in 1670). The three successive walls, designed by Riquet, were built in 1671 in local granite. In 1686, Vauban increased the large wall of Riquet and added a foothill (the Vauban Wall) to strengthen the dike, extended with its vaults and slope. The final watering took place in 1694. In the 18th century, complementary arrangements were made: reconstruction of the openings of the spanner (1743), covering of the stacks (1759), and reconstruction of the overflow spreader (1816).

The site includes remarkable technical elements, such as the House of Vannes (rebuilt in 1834), accessible by a vaulted tunnel and a staircase, where three taps regulate flows. The wrought iron grids dating back to the early 19th century (including a range 1814) closed the accesses. The regulation channels, such as the Badorque or the overflow, complement the device. Despite recurring watertightness problems (filtrations, poor granite quality), the site remains in good conservation condition. Its entirely stone architecture, its neat aesthetics and its key role in water management make it a unique work in the heritage of the Canal du Midi.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1998, the spanner protects a set including half lock, tanks, valves, shovel and downstream deck. Its history reflects the hydraulic innovations of the 17th and 18th centuries, marked by the contributions of Riquet (original designer) and Vauban (structural strengths). Plantations on the downstream slope, planned as early as 1700 to stabilize the land, also illustrate early environmental concerns. Today, the site remains an exceptional testimony of the hydraulic engineering of Ancien Régime, combining functionality and architectural elegance.

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