The Orb Aqueduct

After our visit at Beziers, we exited the city to the west, transiting another lock. This lock was unique, in that metal poles are located inside the lock chamber to wrap the lines around, rather than using bollards at the top of the lock.

Using a boat hook helps slide the lines up the metal pole

The challenge here was making sure that the line(s) could easily slip up the pole; we found that using a boat hook to pull up on the line(s) was necessary to keep the lines moving upward.

Shortly after negotiating the lock, we came to the impressive and beautiful Orb Aqueduct, which crosses the Orb River. The Canal du Midi was originally linked to the Orb River.

Construction of the Orb Aqueduct began in 1856 and is bordered with large arches to support its massive structure. The aqueduct is 39 feet tall and 790 feet long, the longest on the Canal du Midi. This stone canal bridge is by far the most attractive from the 19th century.

The canal passage over the bridge is one-way. It is quite a sight to see a boat on a bridge of water, while passing over the waters of the Orb River below.

The St. Naarine Cathedral seen from the Orb Aqueduct

The imposing St. Nazarine Cathedral can be seen from the aqueduct, completing a unique scene experienced at this special location.

To our surprise, we saw a water skier passing back and forth under the aqueduct, enjoying a summer’s day on the Orb River.