The aqueduct | ©Henri MOREAU / CC-BY-SAMontpellier's aqueduct was built in 1753, when the city decided to convey waters from Saint-Clément spring, a few kilometres away from Montpellier. Henri Pitot, Languedoc engineer, was in charge of the aqueduct... the construction would last 13 years!
After a 13 904 metres long travel, our aqueduct ended in the Peyrou square, where we found a water tower raised by architect Donnat. Montpellier's inhabitants put a bet on the new aqueduct, the day of its inauguration: would the water rise to the Peyrou tower? Oh, one thing has to be said...Gossips claimed the aqueduct would not work! But finally... hurray! Everything proceeded smoothly.
After one century, the quantity of water wasn't enough for the growing population... so they diverted the course of river Lez. As if by magic, the stream arrived with Saint-Clément's waters to the Peyrou water tower!