Surpassing in height and grandeur the venerable Pont du Gard, the Roquefavour Aqueduct is the largest stone aqueduct in the world. This masterpiece of civil engineering stands near Aix-en-Provence, in the commune of Ventabren.

Far younger than its illustrious Roman predecessor, it was built in the 19th century, between 1841 and 1847. Rising 82 meters high and stretching 375 meters in length, it spans the Arc valley, a coastal river flowing into the Étang de Berre. This picturesque landscape of hills and valleys attracts many hikers, while the river at the foot of the aqueduct provides pleasant swimming spots during the summer months.

The construction of this aqueduct was financed by the city of Marseille to transport drinking water from the Durance, greatly improving the quality of life for its inhabitants, ending recurrent water shortages and reducing pollution that had fostered epidemics. To this day, the Marseille Canal remains the main source of potable water for the largest city in southern France.

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Recently restored, the Roquefavour Aqueduct stands as an impressive testimony to 19th-century hydraulic engineering and remains a major monument of French industrial heritage.