Canal de Berry

The Canal de Berry in Saint- Amand- Montrond

The Canal de Berry (originally Canal du Duc de Berry ) is a former French ship canal in the historical Duchy of Berry in today Auvergne and Centre. In 1955 he was removed from the list of navigable waters of France, sold to the government and partially filled.

Course of the channel

When it opens it consisted of the following sections, all of which met in the village Font Blisse, community Bannegon:

  • Starting point: 46 ° 21 ' 34 " N, 2 ° 35' 44" O46.3594444444442.5955555555556
  • End point: 46 ° 46 ' 37 " N, 2 ° 44' 13" O46.7769444444442.7369444444444
  • Starting point: 46 ° 46 ' 37 " N, 2 ° 44' 13" O46.7769444444442.7369444444444Koordinaten: 46 ° 46 ' 37 " N, 2 ° 44' 13" E
  • End point: 47 ° 16 '30 " N, 1 ° 23' 37 " O47.2751.3936111111111
  • Starting point: 46 ° 46 ' 37 " N, 2 ° 44' 13" O46.7769444444442.7369444444444
  • End point: 47 ° 4 ' 9 " N, 3 ° 0' 46" O47.0691666666673.0127777777778

Technical Infrastructure

The channel has a total length of 261 km, and has 97 gates. An engineering works were required:

The largest part of the channel is to be classified in type as the side channel, only the northeast section had to be performed as a watershed channel in order to exceed the range of hills between Font Blisse and Sancoins can. Since the local water supplies for the summit level were not very large, the entire channel was only sized for the individual Schiffsmaß of the builder, which is named after him Gabarit Dutens. Because the locks had just one dimension of 27.75 × 2.70 meters, also a special type of vessel for the channel had to be developed, the Flûte Berrichonne. These had a maximum dimension of 27.50 × 2.60 meters, could take a load of 60 tons and was inspired by the English narrowboats.

History

It was built between 1809-1841 by order of the French General for the road and bridge beings Louis Becquey by chief engineer Joseph -Michel Dutens. Once operational, the Canal de Berry served as a transport link from the Loire to the Rhone Valley. He has very much contributed to the development of Montlucon, but the region was supplied in this way with lime, cement, wood, coal and porcelain. With the advent of the larger ship standards Freycinet the channel but then soon reached the limits of its economic capacity. Due to its low locks dimensions of freight transport in 1954 was set.

Plans to restore

Now, however, efforts are being made this very beautiful, rural village of channel in the center of France are to be made navigable for tourism. Due to the different uses of the watercourse since its sale, some sections have been built or bulldozed, which of course makes it difficult to restore. A club for the reopening of the Canal de Berry ( ARACABE ) was established and is working towards the goal of a re- opening of the canal for leisure and tourism with the water sports and houseboats since 1996. 14 km of the channel are already recovered, of which 12 kilometers by five locks between Selles -sur -Cher and Noyers -sur -Cher and three kilometers with two locks above Vierzon.

Auvergne (region) Centre (French region) Saint-Amand-Montrond Cher (river) Berry (province) Auron (river) Allier (river) Moulins (Allier) Joseph Dutens Pleasure craft Selles-sur-Cher
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