Agde Round Lock
Encyclopedia
The Agde Round Lock is a canal lock
on the Canal du Midi
that connects to the Hérault River in Agde
France. It is almost unique because it is round, which allows a boat to turn around, and the fact that it has three sets of lock gates, each with a different water level. It was built in 1676 of volcanic stone and was originally 29.20 m in diameter, 5.20 m deep.
The lock is no longer round. It was expanded during a program begun in 1978 to expand locks to the Freycinet gauge
to allow for barges up to 38.50 meters long.
Originally, buildings in the area of the lock included an administration building, stables, shops, and a chapel.
The exits are to Béziers
via the western section of the Canal du Midi, to Etang de Thau
via the upper Hérault river and the eastern section of the Canal du Midi, and south to the Mediterranean
via the lower Hérault river.
A second French round lock can be found in the form of the, now disused, Ecluse des Lorraines, connecting the Canal latéral à la Loire
with the River Allier.
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
on the Canal du Midi
Canal du Midi
The is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
that connects to the Hérault River in Agde
Agde
Agde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
France. It is almost unique because it is round, which allows a boat to turn around, and the fact that it has three sets of lock gates, each with a different water level. It was built in 1676 of volcanic stone and was originally 29.20 m in diameter, 5.20 m deep.
The lock is no longer round. It was expanded during a program begun in 1978 to expand locks to the Freycinet gauge
Freycinet gauge
The Freycinet gauge is a standard governing the dimensions of the locks of some canals, put in place as a result of a law passed during the tenure of Charles de Freycinet as prime minister of France, dating from 5 August 1879....
to allow for barges up to 38.50 meters long.
Originally, buildings in the area of the lock included an administration building, stables, shops, and a chapel.
The exits are to Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
via the western section of the Canal du Midi, to Etang de Thau
Étang de Thau
Étang de Thau or Bassin de Thau is the largest of a string of étangs that stretch along the Languedoc-Roussillon, French coast from the Rhône River to the foothills of the Pyrenees which form the border to Spain. It is the second largest lake in France.-Description:It is about 21 km long...
via the upper Hérault river and the eastern section of the Canal du Midi, and south to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
via the lower Hérault river.
A second French round lock can be found in the form of the, now disused, Ecluse des Lorraines, connecting the Canal latéral à la Loire
Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...
with the River Allier.