The Bourbonnais route is a connection of four canals in France from Saint-Mammès

Saint-Mammès

Saint-Mammès is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * * *...

 on the Seine

Seine

The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

 to Chalon-sur-Saône

Chalon-sur-Saône

Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....

 on the Saône River

Saône

The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....

: It includes the Canal du Loing

Canal du Loing

The Canal du Loing is a 49.4 km long canal which connects the Seine to the Briare Canal , in France. It runs through the Loiret and Seine-et-Marne departments....

, Canal de Briare

Briare Canal

The Canal de Briare is one of the oldest canals in France. It is the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using pound locks, connecting the Loire and Seine valleys. It is 57km long and is part of the Bourbonnais route from Saint-Mammès on the Seine to Chalon-sur-Saône on the Saône River...

, Canal lateral a la Loire

Canal latéral à la Loire

The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...

, and Canal du Centre

Canal du Centre (France)

The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...

.

History

The first section of the route, the Canal de Briare was completed in 1642. It was the first summit level canal

Summit level canal

A summit level canal is an artificial waterway connecting two separate river valleys. It was an essential step in developing transport systems connecting different parts of a country before the railways or modern road transport....

 using pound locks in Europe. It connected the valleys of the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 and the Seine

Seine

The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

. At this point-in-time, boats could go from the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 River in Briare

Briare

Briare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...

, via this canal, to the Loing

Loing

The Loing is a 142 km long river in central France, a left tributary of the Seine. Its source is in Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing, in the south of the Yonne département.The Loing flows into the Seine in Saint-Mammès, near Moret-sur-Loing...

 River near Montargis

Montargis

Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The town is located about south of Paris and east of Orléans in the Gâtinais....

, and then down the Loing to the Seine

Seine

The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

 and continue into Paris.

Though not part of this route today, the Canal d'Orléans

Canal d'Orléans

The Canal d'Orléans connects the Loire River at Orléans to a junction with the Canal du Loing and the Canal de Briare in the village of Buges near Montargis. It is entirely within the department of Loiret....

 was started in 1682 to connect Orléans

Orléans

-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...

, on the Loing

Loing

The Loing is a 142 km long river in central France, a left tributary of the Seine. Its source is in Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing, in the south of the Yonne département.The Loing flows into the Seine in Saint-Mammès, near Moret-sur-Loing...

 River, to the northern terminus of the Canal de Briare. This would provide competing routes from the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 river to the Loing

Loing

The Loing is a 142 km long river in central France, a left tributary of the Seine. Its source is in Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing, in the south of the Yonne département.The Loing flows into the Seine in Saint-Mammès, near Moret-sur-Loing...

 river.

The trip on the Loing

Loing

The Loing is a 142 km long river in central France, a left tributary of the Seine. Its source is in Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing, in the south of the Yonne département.The Loing flows into the Seine in Saint-Mammès, near Moret-sur-Loing...

 from Montargis

Montargis

Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The town is located about south of Paris and east of Orléans in the Gâtinais....

 to the Seine

Seine

The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

 was greatly improved by the creation of the Canal du Loing

Canal du Loing

The Canal du Loing is a 49.4 km long canal which connects the Seine to the Briare Canal , in France. It runs through the Loiret and Seine-et-Marne departments....

 during 1720-1723. It is largely a lateral canal

Lateral canal

A lateral canal is a canal built along the same right-of-way as an existing stream. Water for the canal is usually provided by the original natural stream. Many French lateral canals have the word latéral as part of their name...

, using only two portions of the actual river.

In 1792, the Canal du Centre

Canal du Centre (France)

The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...

 connected the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 in Digoin

Digoin

Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...

 to the Saône

Saône

The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....

 at Chalon-sur-Saône

Chalon-sur-Saône

Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....

.

The use of the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 river was replaced by the Canal Latéral à la Loire

Canal latéral à la Loire

The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...

 during 1827-1838. It connected the Canal de Briare at Briare

Briare

Briare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...

 and the Canal du Centre

Canal du Centre (France)

The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...

 at Digoin

Digoin

Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...

. At this time, the Loire was crossed at level. Later, this crossing would be replaced by the Briare aqueduct

Briare aqueduct

The Briare Aqueduct carries the Canal latéral à la Loire over the River Loire on its journey to the River Seine in France. It replaced a river-level crossing from the canal to meet the Briare Canal that was hazardous in times of flood...

.

Specifics

Canal	From	To	KM	Locks
Canal du Loing Canal du Loing The Canal du Loing is a 49.4 km long canal which connects the Seine to the Briare Canal , in France. It runs through the Loiret and Seine-et-Marne departments....	Saint-Mammès Saint-Mammès Saint-Mammès is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * * *...	Montargis Montargis Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The town is located about south of Paris and east of Orléans in the Gâtinais....	49	18
Canal de Briare Briare Canal The Canal de Briare is one of the oldest canals in France. It is the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using pound locks, connecting the Loire and Seine valleys. It is 57km long and is part of the Bourbonnais route from Saint-Mammès on the Seine to Chalon-sur-Saône on the Saône River...	Montargis Montargis Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The town is located about south of Paris and east of Orléans in the Gâtinais....	Briare Briare Briare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...	55	32
Canal lateral a la Loire Canal latéral à la Loire The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...	Briare Briare Briare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...	Digoin Digoin Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...	196	38
Canal du Centre Canal du Centre (France) The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...	Digoin Digoin Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...	Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....	114	61

En Route

Canal du Loing Canal du Loing The Canal du Loing is a 49.4 km long canal which connects the Seine to the Briare Canal , in France. It runs through the Loiret and Seine-et-Marne departments....	Canal de Briare Briare Canal The Canal de Briare is one of the oldest canals in France. It is the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using pound locks, connecting the Loire and Seine valleys. It is 57km long and is part of the Bourbonnais route from Saint-Mammès on the Seine to Chalon-sur-Saône on the Saône River...	Canal lateral a la Loire Canal latéral à la Loire The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...	Canal du Centre Canal du Centre (France) The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...
T junction with Haute Seine Seine The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...   PK 49 Saint-Mammes Saint-Mammès Saint-Mammès is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * * *...   PK 30 Nemours Nemours Nemours is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c...   PK 19 Souppes-sur-Loing Souppes-sur-Loing Souppes-sur-Loing is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * * * *...   PK 3 Cepoy Cepoy Cepoy is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France....	PK 52 Montargis Montargis Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The town is located about south of Paris and east of Orléans in the Gâtinais....   PK 29 Châtillon-Coligny Châtillon-Coligny Châtillon-Coligny is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.The Loing and the Briare Canal run through the town.-See also:*Communes of the Loiret department*Raynald of Châtillon...   PK 19 Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Geography:The commune is located some west of Auxerre and is crossed by the Loing and the Briare Canal.-References:*...   PK 1 Briare Briare Briare is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Briare, the Brivodorum of the Romans, is situated at the extremity of the Briare Canal, which unites the Loire and its lateral canal with the Loing and so with the Seine. The lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire near...	PK 192 Châtillon-sur-Loire Châtillon-sur-Loire Châtillon-sur-Loire is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loiret department...   PK 159.5 Saint-Satur Saint-Satur Saint-Satur is a commune in the Cher department in central France.It is a medieval town near the Loire River in the former province of Berry.-History:...   PK 125 Marseilles-lès-Aubigny Marseilles-lès-Aubigny Marseilles-lès-Aubigny is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A forestry and farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the rivers Aubois and Loire, some east of Bourges, at the junction of the D44 and the D81 roads...   PK 100 Nevers Nevers Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...   PK 68.5 Decize Decize Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Site:The town is situated on a former island in the Loire at the confluent of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim land and now remains as an arm stretching upstream to the centre of town...   PK 37.5 Beaulon Beaulon Beaulon is a commune in the Allier department in central France.-Population:...   PK 4 Digoin Digoin Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...	PK 102 Paray-le-Monial Paray-le-Monial Paray-le-Monial is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Burgundy in eastern France.-History:Paray existed before the monks who gave it its surname of Le Monial, for when Count Lambert of Chalon, together with his wife Adelaide and his friend Mayeul de Cluny, founded there in...   PK 65 Montceau-les-Mines Montceau-les-Mines Montceau-les-Mines is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is the second-largest commune of the metropolitan Communauté urbaine Creusot-Montceau, which lies southwest of the city of Dijon....   PK 52 Montchanin Montchanin Montchanin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...   PK 33 Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...   PK 19 Chagny Chagny, Saône-et-Loire Chagny is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...   PK 0 Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....   T junction with Saône Saône The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon.... >