Canal de Berry

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Canal de Berry
The Canal de Berry in Saint-Amand-Montrond

The Canal de Berry in Saint-Amand-Montrond

Water code FRK --- 2202 , FRK --- 230G
location France , Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Center-Val de Loire regions
length Total 261 km
Built 1809-1841
class <I.
Beginning Three sections; see course of the canal
The End Three sections; see course of the canal
Descent structures Total 97
Ports Montluçon , Saint-Amand-Montrond , Bourges , Vierzon
Used river Cher
Channel blocked for shipping!
07 carte 44.jpg
old postcard with cargo ship on Canal de Berry

The Canal de Berry (originally: Canal du Duc de Berry ) is a former French shipping canal in the historic Duchy of Berry in what is now the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Center-Val de Loire regions . In 1955 it was removed from the list of navigable waters in France, sold to the local authorities and partially filled in.

Course of the canal

When it opened, it consisted of the following sections, all of which met in Fontblisse , municipality of Bannegon :

South section
This section is 70 kilometers long and follows the upper reaches of the Cher and the Marmande . It connects the cities of Montluçon , Vallon-en-Sully , Saint-Amand-Montrond and Fontblisse , where it meets the other sections of the canal.
Departments crossed: Allier and Cher
Northwest section
This 142-kilometer section follows the course of the Auron , Yèvre and the lower Cher River . It connects the towns of Fontblisse , Dun-sur-Auron , Bourges , Mehun-sur-Yèvre , Vierzon and Noyers-sur-Cher . To the west of Noyers-sur-Cher, the canal flows into the Cher, which is channeled here and which in turn reaches the Loire west of Tours .
Departments crossed: Cher and Loir-et-Cher
Northeast section
This section is 49 kilometers long and, after crossing an apex posture, follows the course of the Aubois River into the Loire Valley. It connects the places Fontblisse , Sancoins and Marseilles-lès-Aubigny , where it joins the Canal latéral à la Loire . Another section of the canal, which was to lead from Sancoins, up the Allier , to Moulins , was planned, but never built.
Crossed department: Cher

technical infrastructure

The canal has a total length of 261 kilometers and has 97 locks .
The following were required for engineering structures:

Most of the canal can be classified as a side canal , only the northeast section had to be designed as a watershed canal in order to cross the ridge between Fontblisse and Sancoins. Since the water supplies there were not very large for keeping the apex , the entire canal was only dimensioned for the individual dimensions of the ship, which is named after him Gabarit Dutens . Because the locks only had dimensions of 27.75 × 2.70 meters, a special type of ship had to be developed for the canal, the Flûte Berrichonne . This had a maximum size of 27.50 × 2.60 meters, could carry a load of 60 tons and was inspired by the English narrowboats .

history

It was created in the years 1809–1841 on behalf of the French general director for roads and bridges, Louis Becquey , by chief engineer Joseph-Michel Dutens .

After its commissioning, the Canal de Berry served as a transport link from the Loire to the Rhone Valley . He contributed a lot to the development of Montluçon, as the region was supplied with lime, cement, wood, coal and porcelain in this way. However, with the advent of the larger Freycinet shipping standard , the canal soon reached the limits of its economic performance. Due to its small lock dimensions, the transport of goods was stopped in 1954.

Recovery plans

Efforts are now underway to make this very beautiful, rural canal in the center of France navigable for tourism again. Due to the different uses of the watercourse since its sale, some sections have been built or leveled, which of course makes its restoration difficult. An association for the reopening of the Canal de Berry (ARACABE) was founded and has been working since 1996 towards the goal of reopening the canal for recreational activities and water tourism with sport boats and houseboats . 14 kilometers of the canal have already been restored, of which 12 kilometers with five locks between Selles-sur-Cher and Noyers-sur-Cher and three kilometers with two locks above Vierzon.

Web links

Commons : Canal de Berry  - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

  • Beaudouin, François: Batellerie et bateaux du canal du Berry . Edition Musée de la Batellerie de Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (France), 1985.
  • Berg, Charles: Un canal pas comme les autres: le Canal de Berry . Edition Musée de la Batellerie de Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (France) 2003, ISBN 2911164083 .
  • Chambareau, René: Le Canal de Berry . Editions associées de France, France 1998, ISBN 2911674154 .
  • Mauret-Cribellier, Valérie: Le Canal de Berry . Edition DRAC Center, France 2001, ISBN 2905813288 .
  • Mauret-Cribellier, Valérie: Chemin d'eau, les canaux du Center . Edition Musée de la Marine de Loire / DRAC Center, Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, France 2004.

Individual evidence

  1. Entry in structurae, since sandre.fr is incorrect

See also