Beschreibung
The game takes place in 1667, after an edict signed by Louis XIV launched the construction of a canal to connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Pierre-Paul Riquet is tasked with coordinating this gigantic building project but he needs your help.

In the shoes of one of his engineers, you mission is to build as many sections of the Canal as you can, using available resources the best way possible. Players compete to measure the manpower necessary for each section and earn recognition from Pierre-Paul Riquet. But sudden reinforcements could change the game!

When the Canal du Midi is finished, the player with the most recognition points for the sections they helped build has won the game.

—description from the back of the box

Canal du Midi is a quick game played over 9 rounds in about 15 minutes. Players have 9 worker cards, representing varying amounts of manpower. Three of these cards are taken up into their hand, three are open on the table in front of them, and the remaining three form their draw deck. They also get 2 coins.

Each turn, a single section of the canal is revealed that is to be build this turn, and players bid a secret amount of manpower to help complete the section by playing one of the cards from their hand. If the total amount of manpower is enough to complete the section (i.e. beats the target set by the card), the player(s) who bid the most receive recognition points. However, before the section is awarded, all players get the opportunity to spend one of their coins to call up reinforcements. After players have decided whether or not to do so, each player spending a coin may draw a random card from the discard pile, and add the manpower on the card to their bid.

At the end of a turn, players draw a new card to bring their hand size back to 3 (if possible). They can draw either the top card of their drawing deck (blind), or one of the 3 open cards (which will get replaced by the top card of the deck). Play continues until all 9 sections have been built (or at least started, if the manpower fell short), and players have played all of their cards. Whoever has the most recognition points is the winner.