The Canal de l'Est is a canal in northeastern France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. It was built from 1874 to 1887 and has a total length of 394 kilometres (244.8 mi). It consists of two parts: a northern branch linking the Meuse River

Meuse River

The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...

 and the Moselle

Moselle River

The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....

, and a southern branch linking the Moselle to the Saône. In 2003, these branches were officially renamed Canal de la Meuse and Canal des Vosges, respectively.

Northern branch (Canal de la Meuse)

The northern branch of the Canal de l'Est starts at Givet

Givet

Givet is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France very close to the Belgian border. It lies on the river Meuse where Emperor Charles V built the fortress of Charlemont....

 in the Ardennes department. It follows the Meuse upstream, passing through Mouzon

Mouzon, Ardennes

Mouzon is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...

, Fumay

Fumay

Fumay is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France, very close to the Belgian border.-Geography:It is situated in the Meuse valley, the main part of the town being surrounded by a large meander of the river.-Population:-Economy:...

, Revin

Revin

Revin is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northern France.Revin is situated on the banks of the Meuse.-Population:-Personalities:Yazid Mansouri, the Algeria national football team captain was born in Revin....

, Nouzonville

Nouzonville

Nouzonville is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...

, Charleville-Mézières

Charleville-Mézières

Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...

, Sedan

Sedan, France

Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...

, Stenay

Stenay

Stenay is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It was one of the last villages to experience fighting during World War I. Stenay was captured on 11 November 1918 by the American 89th Division under General William M. Wright only hours before the Armistice went into...

, Verdun

Verdun

Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...

, Saint-Mihiel

Saint-Mihiel

Saint-Mihiel is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-History:Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans in the first year of World War I, and was re-captured during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from 12 September to 19 September 1918, during World War...

 and Commercy

Commercy

Commercy is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the home of the madeleines referred to by Marcel Proust in A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.-History:...

 until it joins the Canal de la Marne au Rhin at Troussey

Troussey

Troussey is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....

. This branch of the canal is 272 kilometres (169 mi) long. For much of its length, the canal is actually the canalised river Meuse.

Southern branch (Canal des Vosges)

Originally, the southern branch of the Canal de l'Est started at Toul

Toul

Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....

, where it branched off the Canal de la Marne au Rhin. Since the Moselle has been made navigable for larger ships up to Neuves-Maisons

Neuves-Maisons

Neuves-Maisons is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France....

, the 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) part of the Canal de l'Est between Toul and Neuves-Maisons is considered part of the Moselle. The canal follows the Moselle upstream through Charmes

Charmes, Vosges

Charmes is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.It is located on the Moselle River and the Canal de l'Est.It was extensively destroyed both in the First and Second World Wars. A pleasant stop for mobile home owners and canal boats....

 and Thaon-les-Vosges

Thaon-les-Vosges

Thaon-les-Vosges is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.-External links:*...

 until Golbey

Golbey

Golbey is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France....

, north of Épinal

Épinal

Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...

, where it leaves the Moselle valley. It passes through Les Forges

Les Forges, Vosges

Les Forges is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.- References :*...

 and enters the valley of the Côney

Côney

The Côney is a long river in the Vosges and Haute-Saône départements, northeastern France. Its source is near Lion Faing, a lieu-dit in Dounoux. It flows generally southwest...

 near Uzemain

Uzemain

Uzemain is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.-Geography:The Côney forms part of the commune's eastern border, flows westward through the southern part of the commune, crosses the village, and forms part of the commune's southwestern border....

. It follows the Côney downstream until its confluence with 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 Corre

Corre

Corre is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-Geography:The Côney flows southward through the middle of the commune, crosses the village, then flows into the Saône, which forms most of the commune's south-western border.-References:*...

 in the Haute-Saône

Haute-Saône

Haute-Saône is a French department of the Franche-Comté région, named after the Saône River.- History :The department was created in the early years of the French Revolution through the application of a law dated 22 December 1789, from part of the former province of Franche-Comté...

department, the southern end of the Canal de l'Est. This branch of the canal is 123 kilometres (76.4 mi) long.