Coast of Languedoc

The coast of Languedoc faces the Gulf of Lion, where lagoons and low sandy shores lie between the inland plain and the Mediterranean. Rivers including the Aude and Hérault reach the sea here, while sailors must reckon with strong winds such as the Tramontane and Mistral.

In the seventeenth century, a new harbour at Sète and the Canal du Midi strengthened the coast's links with the interior. The canal's inaugural voyage took place in 1681, connecting the route from Toulouse to the Mediterranean through the Étang de Thau. Alongside older ports and fishing communities, these works joined inland commerce to the gulf's maritime routes.