Canal du Centre (France)
Encyclopedia
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 France
to the south. It is 112.1 km long and has 61 locks. Most of its traffic came from the coal mines at Montceau-les-Mines
.
and a detailed plan was prepared by Adam de Craponne
in the time of Henry II
. But nothing more happened until the Chief Engineer of Burgundy, Emiland Gauthey
, obtained building powers in 1783. He selected a route which joined the valleys of the Loire and Saône and provided adequate water supplies at the summit. The first stone was laid in 1784 by Prince de Condé and despite the intervention of exceptional floods on the Loire in 1790, which totally wrecked a new port in Digoin, and the Revolution
, the works were completed in 1792.
The canal brought new life to the Charollais and within 20 years of opening, many villages had sprung up along its banks. But the amount of traffic that could be carried towards Paris was limited by the fickle nature of the Loire and it was estimated that the opening of the Canal Latéral à la Loire
would triple the toll income of the canal. This happened in 1838, five years after the establishment of coal mines at Montceau-les-Mines
and this increased the traffic until in 1936 some 1,622,000 tonnes of coal was carried on the canal. But the coal traffic sharply declined during the 1980s, and the mines were closed in 2000.
and the number of locks reduced. During the 1950s about 5 km of canal in the centre of Chalon was replaced by a new cut upstream of the town with a single 10.76m deep lock replacing 3 locks.
according to
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:...
, where it now joins 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...
, to the River Saône in 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....
. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of 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...
to the south. It is 112.1 km long and has 61 locks. Most of its traffic came from the coal mines at 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....
.
History
The canal was first suggested during the 16th century, under King Francis IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
and a detailed plan was prepared by Adam de Craponne
Adam de Craponne
Adam de Craponne was a French engineer.-Life:Born in 1526 in Salon-de-Provence, between 1557 and 1558, Craponne built the channel bearing his name. The Canal de Craponne enabled irrigation of the desertic Crau with water coming from the Durance...
in the time of Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
. But nothing more happened until the Chief Engineer of Burgundy, Emiland Gauthey
Emiland Gauthey
Emiland Gauthey was a French civil engineer and architect in the Age of Enlightenment...
, obtained building powers in 1783. He selected a route which joined the valleys of the Loire and Saône and provided adequate water supplies at the summit. The first stone was laid in 1784 by Prince de Condé and despite the intervention of exceptional floods on the Loire in 1790, which totally wrecked a new port in Digoin, and the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the works were completed in 1792.
The canal brought new life to the Charollais and within 20 years of opening, many villages had sprung up along its banks. But the amount of traffic that could be carried towards Paris was limited by the fickle nature of the Loire and it was estimated that the opening of 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...
would triple the toll income of the canal. This happened in 1838, five years after the establishment of coal mines at 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....
and this increased the traffic until in 1936 some 1,622,000 tonnes of coal was carried on the canal. But the coal traffic sharply declined during the 1980s, and the mines were closed in 2000.
Layout of the Canal
Originally 80 locks took the canal up by 77.64m from the Loire and down 130.9m to the Saône. These were enlarged in 1880-1900 when they were all rebuilt whilst bringing them up to the Freycinet gaugeFreycinet gauge
The Freycinet gauge is a standard governing the dimensions of the locks of some canals, put in place as a result of a law passed during the tenure of Charles de Freycinet as prime minister of France, dating from 5 August 1879....
and the number of locks reduced. During the 1950s about 5 km of canal in the centre of Chalon was replaced by a new cut upstream of the town with a single 10.76m deep lock replacing 3 locks.
En Route
PKPoint kilométrique
Point kilométrique is a French acronym used to measure distances for boundary mileage used mainly in France, on railways, highways, canals, and freeways to help locate a specific location. For example, locations on the Canal du Midi are marked in PK values....
according to
- PKPoint kilométriquePoint kilométrique is a French acronym used to measure distances for boundary mileage used mainly in France, on railways, highways, canals, and freeways to help locate a specific location. For example, locations on the Canal du Midi are marked in PK values....
112 DigoinDigoinDigoin 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-MonialParay-le-MonialParay-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 81 GénelardGénelardGénelard is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:The Bourbince flows southwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
- PK 65 Montceau-les-MinesMontceau-les-MinesMontceau-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 61 BlanzyBlanzyBlanzy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:The Bourbince forms part of the commune's north-eastern border, then flows southwestward through the middle of the commune.-References:*...
- PK 52 MontchaninMontchaninMontchanin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
- PK 45 Saint-Julien-sur-DheuneSaint-Julien-sur-DheuneSaint-Julien-sur-Dheune is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
- PK 33 Saint-Léger-sur-DheuneSaint-Léger-sur-DheuneSaint-Léger-sur-Dheune is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
- PK 24.5 Santenay
- PK 19 ChagnyChagny, Saône-et-LoireChagny is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
- PK 17 RullyRully, Saône-et-LoireRully is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is known for its red and white Rully wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay respectively...
- PK 8 FragnesFragnesFragnes is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
- PK 0 Chalon-sur-SaôneChalon-sur-SaôneChalon-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....