On our previous trip to Sete the type of landscape that we experienced was one that was directly adjacent to the sea. Now, we were to journey to Beziers, which moved further inland. This region had ideal conditions for wine production since it is located far enough away from the coast, but not too close to the mountains. One way that this land for wine is protected is by trees lining roads, which deters wind from causing any damage.
Back in the 19th century residents of the area utilized a majority of the land for win production, diminishing the natural surroundings at the same time. With its location in the Mediterranean Basin, an incredible amount of rainfall would occur causing issues such as erosion. To prevent even more damage from happening, farming terraces were built. For quite some time, nearby towns were used for their ideal soil conditions and proximity to Via Domitia.
This road was heavily used by merchants for trading. From this road, water is drained into a ditch by a series of vineyards. Water is then moved to underground tunnels, which still function today.
Ultimately, growth in this region was dependent and developed from the Via Domitia.
The production of wine now moves on to how the products was transported and distributed. Our next stop was the Canal du Midi, which connected the Garonne River to the Mediterranean Sea. This was constructed by Pierre-Paul Piquet. Enormous locks controlled the canal system, with the arch being the prevalent form. One can learn that this region has greatly advanced from small farming techniques to a large-scale canal system.
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