Nicolas Bachelier (1485–1557) was a French surveyor,

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, and sculptor who particularly worked in

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...

. Bachelier is famous in Toulouse for having been the architect, proven or presumed, of several '' hôtels particuliers'' of the Renaissance, as well as for his religious sculptures. He was particularly renowned for his great scholarly culture. In 1539, Bachelier and his colleague Arnaud Casanove, who described themselves as ''expert levelers'', proposed a survey for a canal from

Carcassonne Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the ...

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

had previously discussed the possibility of such a canal with

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...

. They also proposed that barges could either float down the Garonne River to

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

or could traverse a canal parallel to the river.

approved their plans which included a lock-free canal of variable depth. These plans proved to be inaccurate and could not be executed. In 1598,

Henri IV Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

re-examined the plans, but nothing was done until

Pierre Paul Riquet Stele in Toulouse Cathedral Pierre-Paul Riquet, Baron de Bonrepos (29 June 1609 (some sources say 1604) – 4 October 1680) was the engineer and canal-builder responsible for the construction of the Canal du Midi. Background Paul Riquet was bo ...

began the successful endeavor of the

Canal du Midi The Canal du Midi (; ) is a long canal in Southern France (french: le Midi). Originally named the ''Canal royal en Languedoc'' (Royal Canal in Languedoc) and renamed by French revolutionaries to ''Canal du Midi'' in 1789, the canal is considere ...

in 1662. Among others, the following prestigious buildings are attributed to him: *

Hôtel de Bagis The Hôtel de Bagis in Toulouse, France, is a Renaissance ''hôtel particulier'' (''palace'') of the 16th century. It is a listed historical monument since 1889. Hôtel de Pierre, dit aussi hôtel Jean de Bagis It is also called Hôtel de Clary, ...

(1538) *

Hôtel de Guillaume de Bernuy The Hôtel de Guillaume de Bernuy, also known as Hôtel de Buet, located at 5 rue de la Pomme, in Toulouse, France, is a Renaissance ''hôtel particulier'' (''palace'') of the 16th century. This hôtel was built around 1540. Portal and windo ...

(1540-1544) *

Hôtel d'Assézat The Hôtel d'Assézat in Toulouse, France, is a French Renaissance ''hôtel particulier'' (urban palace) of the 16th century which houses the Bemberg Foundation, a major art gallery of the city. The hôtel was likely built by Toulouse architect N ...

(for the two classical façades, 1555–1556) * Medallions of

Hôtel Jean de Pins The Hôtel Jean de Pins in Toulouse, France, is a Renaissance ''hôtel particulier'' (''palace'') of the 16th century. Its double gallery on the courtyard is a listed historical monument since 1995. Hôtel de Pins et hôtel Antonin History Hôtel ...

and

Hôtel Thomas de Montval The Hôtel Thomas de Montval in Toulouse, France, is a 20th-century ''hôtel particulier'' (''palace'') built with Renaissance elements of the 16th century. The central porch gives access to the inner courtyard through a covered passage. The faça ...

* Possibly some of the telamons of

Hôtel du Vieux-Raisin The Hôtel du Vieux Raisin in Toulouse, France is a Renaissance ''hôtel particulier'' (palace) of the 16th century. This townhouse is surely one of the most beautiful private mansions of the time. It was built for Berenger Maynier, professor of l ...

References

Canal du Midi French surveyors 1485 births 1557 deaths People from Arras 16th-century French architects Renaissance architects {{France-architect-stub