Nautical jousting, a traditional sport in Sète in the Hérault department, was born along with the city's port in 1666. The Statue de l'Ajustaire takes center stage above the water in honor of this sport and the jousters, from the top of the Civette bridge above the Canal Royal. It was designed and constructed by Pierre Nocca and inaugurated on August 26, 2002, during the Feast of Saint Louis, the city's patron saint. Every year, the Canal Royal becomes the epicenter of the celebrations that commemorate the birth of Sète's port and of nautical jousting.