Marne–Rhine Canal

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Canal de la Marne au Rhin
Canal de la Marne au Rhin tunnel Niderviller.jpg
The Marne-Rhine Canal at Niderviller, Moselle
Marne-Rhine Canal
Specifications
Length313 km (194 mi)
Locks154 (originally 178)
History
Construction began1838
Date completed1853
Geography
Start point Canal latéral à la Marne in Vitry-le-François
End point Rhine in Strasbourg
Beginning coordinates 48°43′48″N4°36′24″E / 48.730123°N 4.606670°E / 48.730123; 4.606670
Ending coordinates 48°35′26″N7°47′16″E / 48.590661°N 7.787779°E / 48.590661; 7.787779
Connects to Canal latéral à la Marne, Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne, Canal de la Meuse, Moselle, Canal de la Sarre, Rhine
Marne-Rhine Canal

The Canal de la Marne au Rhin (French pronunciation: [kanallamaʁnoʁɛ̃] , Marne–Rhine Canal) is a canal in north-eastern France. It connects the river Marne and the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne in Vitry-le-François with the port of Strasbourg on the Rhine. The original objective of the canal was to connect Paris and the north of France with Alsace and Lorraine, the Rhine, and Germany. [1] The 313 km (194 mi) long canal was the longest in France when it opened in 1853. [2]

Contents

Description

The canal is suited for small barges ( péniches ), with a maximum size of 38.50 metres (126.3 ft) in length and 5.05 metres (16.6 ft) in width. It has 154 locks, including two in the Moselle. There are four tunnels. The Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane is located between Arzviller and Saint-Louis and its construction replaced 17 locks. [1]

In 1979, a 23 kilometres (14 mi) section along the Moselle valley was closed following the completion of the Moselle canalisation works between Frouard and Neuves-Maisons. The route is now made up as follows:

The western section, 131.4 km (81.6 mi) has 97 locks, 70 rising to the summit level and 27 down to the Moselle at Toul. The Moselle section has three locks of high-capacity Rhine dimensions on the river and one on the Frouard branch, and an additional Freycinet size lock connecting to the original canal in Frouard. The eastern section, 159 km (99 mi), has 56 locks, 21 rising to the summit level crossing the Vosges watershed and 35 down to Strasbourg. [2]

Its course crosses the following départements and towns:

Tunnel near Arzviller RheinMarneKanalTunnel.jpg
Tunnel near Arzviller

En Route

The end in Strasbourg Strasbourg PontTournant L.jpg
The end in Strasbourg
PK 0 Vitry-le-François 48°43′48″N4°36′24″E / 48.730123°N 4.606670°E / 48.730123; 4.606670 (Vitry-le-François)
PK 47 Bar-le-Duc 48°46′27″N5°10′08″E / 48.774198°N 5.168792°E / 48.774198; 5.168792 (Bar-le-Duc)
PK 62 Ligny-en-Barrois 48°41′16″N5°19′05″E / 48.687829°N 5.317922°E / 48.687829; 5.317922 (Ligny-en-Barrois)
PK 86.5Mauvages tunnel 48°35′04″N5°31′08″E / 48.584403°N 5.518899°E / 48.584403; 5.518899 (Mauvages tunnel)
PK 111junction with Canal de la Meuse 48°42′52″N5°41′24″E / 48.714472°N 5.690103°E / 48.714472; 5.690103 (junction of Marne–Rhine Canal and Meuse Canal)
PK 130 Toul 48°40′40″N5°53′02″E / 48.677837°N 5.883757°E / 48.677837; 5.883757 (Toul)
PK 131.5junction with Moselle 48°40′59″N5°54′21″E / 48.683188°N 5.905906°E / 48.683188; 5.905906 (junction of Marne–Rhine Canal and Moselle)
PK 154.5entrance to canal from Frouard branch of Moselle
PK 164 Nancy 48°41′38″N6°11′34″E / 48.693756°N 6.192840°E / 48.693756; 6.192840 (Nancy)
PK 178 Dombasle 48°37′41″N6°20′42″E / 48.628095°N 6.344928°E / 48.628095; 6.344928 (Dombasle)
PK 222 Réchicourt 48°41′32″N6°50′42″E / 48.692202°N 6.845136°E / 48.692202; 6.845136 (Réchicourt)
PK 255 Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane 48°42′57″N7°13′06″E / 48.715911°N 7.218292°E / 48.715911; 7.218292 (Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane)
PK 259 Lutzelbourg 48°44′09″N7°15′23″E / 48.735872°N 7.256384°E / 48.735872; 7.256384 (Lutzelbourg)
PK 269 Saverne 48°44′34″N7°21′59″E / 48.742677°N 7.366299°E / 48.742677; 7.366299 (Saverne)
PK 286 Hochfelden 48°44′56″N7°34′10″E / 48.748809°N 7.569442°E / 48.748809; 7.569442 (Hochfelden)
PK 307 Souffelweyersheim 48°38′03″N7°45′10″E / 48.634203°N 7.752879°E / 48.634203; 7.752879 (Souffelweyersheim)
PK 313 Strasbourg 48°35′26″N7°47′16″E / 48.590661°N 7.787779°E / 48.590661; 7.787779 (Strasbourg)

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 McKnight, Hugh (2005). Cruising French Waterways, 4th Edition. Sheridan House. ISBN   978-1574092103.
  2. 1 2 3 Edwards-May, David (2010). Inland Waterways of France. St Ives, Cambs., UK: Imray. p. 137. ISBN   978-1-846230-14-1.