Moissac

Moissac is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. The town is situated at the confluence of the Garonne and Tarn rivers at the Canal de Garonne. Route nationale N113 was constructed through the town and between Valence-d'Agen and Castelsarrasin.

History

Initially Moissac was part of the department of Lot. In 1808 Napoleon decreed the city be attached to the new department of Tarn-et-Garonne. It was the chief town of the district from 1800 to 1926.

Moissac was heavily damaged in March 1930 by flooding of the Tarn River, which devastated much of southwestern France. It was counted as a 100-year flood. One hundred twenty people were reported to have died in the city.

Moissac Abbey

Moissac is known internationally for the artistic heritage preserved in the medieval Saint-Pierre Abbey. This church is a site on the World Heritage Site Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

Waterways

There are important waterways in Moissac: the Tarn River flows through the centre of town, as does the Canal de Garonne (formerly Canal latéral à la Garonne), the extension of the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to Bordeaux. Together, these two canals are sometimes known as the Canal des deux mers (lit. canal of the two seas) connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea.