Briare Canal
Briare Canal | |
---|---|
Specifications | |
Length | 57 km (35 mi) |
Locks | 36 |
Status | Open |
History | |
Construction began | 1604 |
Date completed | 1642 |
Geography | |
Start point | Briare |
End point | Buges near Montargis |
Beginning coordinates | 47°38′20″N 2°43′46″E / 47.63899°N 2.72937°E |
Ending coordinates | 48°01′42″N 2°43′21″E / 48.02821°N 2.72259°E |
Connects to | Canal du Loing and Canal latéral à la Loire |
The Briare Canal (
From Briare to Buges, the canal rises through the first 12 locks some 41 m (135 ft) and then falls 85 m (279 ft) through the remaining 24 locks.[3]
Construction
The canal was initiated by
After
Reservoirs were dug to supply the approximately 2000 cubic meters of water displaced at each lock. They include the reservoirs of Turfs, Chesnoy, Grand-rû, Tilery, Du Chateau, Cahauderie, Beaurois, the Bourdon reservoir, and the Moutiers reservoir on the Loing. The original source of water was the Étang de la Gazonne.[4]
Usage
By the mid 18th century more than 500 wine barges were in use bringing wines from the
Shortages of water in the reservoirs and Loire valley often resulted in 2–3 months closure per year.
Modifications
The canal was repurchased by the State in 1860.
In periods of drought the canal's reservoirs were insufficient to keep the canal full of water, therefore in 1894 and 1895 a pumping station was built to pump water into the summit pound.
The Briare aqueduct built over the Loire in Briare between 1890 and 1896 by the engineer Abel Mazoyer is part of the Canal latéral à la Loire, and replaced the old line of that canal, built between 1820 and 1830.
En route
- PK 56.7 Aqueduct over the river Solin[5]
- PK 52 Montargis
- PK 40 Montcresson
- PK 35 Montbouy
- PK 29 Châtillon-Coligny (12th-century castle)[1]
- PK 19 Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses
- PK 8 Ouzouër-sur-Trézée
- PK 1 Briare
- PK 0 Baraban entrance lock from the river Loire and junction with the old line of the Canal latéral à la Loire in Briare.[6]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4081-0381-4.
- ISBN 978-0-7136-6638-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-2-913120-00-6.
- ISBN 978-2-910185-02-2.
- ISBN 2-913120-00-8.
- ISBN 978-1-846230-14-1.
External links
- Canal de Briare with maps and information on places, ports and moorings on the canal, by the author of Inland Waterways of France, 8th ed., 2010, Imray
- Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals (French waterways website section)