Canal de Brienne

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Canal de Brienne
Canal de Brienne.jpg
Canal de Brienne
Specifications
Length1,560 m (5,120 ft)
Locks2 [1]
History
Date of first use14 April 1776
Geography
Start point Toulouse
End point Toulouse
Beginning coordinates 43°36′15″N1°26′03″E / 43.60416°N 1.43429°E / 43.60416; 1.43429
Ending coordinates 43°36′38″N1°25′08″E / 43.61060°N 1.41880°E / 43.61060; 1.41880
Connects to Canal du Midi, Garonne River, Canal de Garonne

The Canal de Brienne, also known as Canal de Saint-Pierre, is a French canal connecting the Garonne River with the Canal du Midi and the Canal de Garonne. [2] It has two locks. [3] The lock opening to the Garonne is known as Ecluse Saint-Pierre. The lock nearer to the Canal du Midi usually stands open. [3]

Contents

The canal is in the centre of Toulouse, in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. It runs for only 1,560 m (0.97 mi) [4] from its source at Bazacle on the Garonne to its terminal basin where it meets the Canal du Midi. At the joining with the Canal du Midi is the Ponts Jumeaux (English: twin bridges). [4]

The canal was inaugurated on 14 April 1776. [4] It was intended to carry water from the Garonne to the Canal latéral à la Garonne and provide a navigable route to the port de la Daurade, situated in the centre of Toulouse on the Garonne.

It owes its name to Etienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne (1727–1794), archbishop of Toulouse.

See also

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The Ecluse Saint-Pierre is one of two locks on the Canal de Brienne. Also known as Garonne lock, in French: Ecluse de Garonne.

The balancing of incoming and outgoing water allows the Canal du Midi to operate as it does. Each time a lock operates, large quantities of water are either required to fill it or dump from it into the lower level pound. There must be a constant source of water in order to fill and the excess water dumped must have a place to exit the canal without it overflowing. Being able to provide this water source was one of the most important problems to be solved by Pierre Paul Riquet, its creator.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Toulouse, France.

References

  1. Midi Camargue Waterways Guide 7. Editions Du Breil. ISBN   2-913120-04-0.
  2. Roquette-Buisson, Odile de; Sarramon, Christian; Lefebvre, Isabel (1983). The Canal du Midi. Thames and Hudson Inc. ISBN   0-500-24115-5.
  3. 1 2 Kießler, Bernd-Wilfried (2009). The Canal du Midi: A Cruiser's Guide. Adlard Coles Nautical. pp. 122, 125. ISBN   978-1-4081-1273-1.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nicolas Janberg's Structurae" . Retrieved 9 November 2009.