Canal de l'Ourcq

The Canal de l' Ourcq is a French Ship Canal, which runs in the departments of Aisne, Oise, Seine- et- Marne, Seine- Saint- Denis and Paris.

Course

It starts at the small village of Port-aux- Perches, in the municipality of Silly- la -Poterie, from where the river Ourcq was channeled to accommodate shipping traffic. 11 km further, at Mareuil -sur- Ourcq, then branches off the channel from as an independent building and follows the river as a side channel to its right bank until after Lizy -sur- Ourcq, where the river to its confluence with the Marne pivots. From here the channel the Marne accompanied on the right bank and changes in Fresnes- sur -Marne for a short distance in the valley of the Beuvronne. Soon after, the channel already reached the northeastern suburbs of Paris, and finally ending in the 19th arrondissement, where it flows into the Bassin de la Villette. He also has connection to the two other Parisian canals: the Canal Saint -Martin and the Canal Saint- Denis.

Coordinates

  • Source of the canal: 49 ° 11 ' 36 "N, 3 ° 9' 54" O49.1933333333333.165Koordinaten: 49 ° 11 ' 36 "N, 3 ° 9' 54" E
  • Endpoint of the channel: 48 ° 53 ' 17 " N, 2 ° 22' 43 " O48.8880555555562.3786111111111

Technical Infrastructure

The channel has a length of 108 kilometers and has 10 locks, overcoming a difference in altitude of about 14 meters. The locks on the canalized Ourcq have a dimension of 62 x 5.20 meters. The largest part of the channel, that of Mareuil -sur- Ourcq to Pavillon -sous -Bois (about 86 km ) is referred to as a " narrow channel ", as its lock dimensions originally only 58.88 x 3.20 meters, respectively. Most of these locks have been 5.20 meters converted to dimensions of 58,88 x, only the lock of Varreddes is still unchanged. This channel section can therefore continue to be used only with specific boat types ( Flûte de l' Ourcq ) and small pleasure boats. The remaining 11 kilometers to the city center of Paris do not require locks, but are expanded for large ships and cargo ships can use up to 1000 tons cargo capacity be traveled. Such ships can reach the channel using the Canal Saint -Denis on the Seine.

The water supply of the channel was initially problematic and has been amended several times by various additions and conversions. You are done

  • The Ourcq river itself,
  • The river Clignon, over the 1839-1841 built the Canal du Clignon,
  • The river Marne, built over in the 1860s, partly by steam and partly hydraulically operated pumping stations in Trilbardou and Villiers- les- Rigault. Today, they are historical monuments and were surgically replaced by electric pumping stations.
  • The river Beuvronne.

History

The river Ourcq, on the initiative of Napoleon I. after the town of Silly- la -Poterie, close to the forest Foret de Retz, partially redirected the early 19th century and developed into a navigable waterway. The building was carried out, the engineers Pierre -Simon Girard and Marie -Emile Vuigner. The work began in 1805 and were completed in 1822. The reason for the construction was the drinking water needs of the city of Paris, but the channel also served the carriage of goods. The transport of goods, especially of timber and firewood from the forest of Retz, and coal from the mines of northern France turned the Bassin de La Villette soon in a large envelope and storage space, which has retained some of its memory to this day. 1880, the channel on the ship lift Beauval with the Marne was connected. However, this is no longer maintained.

Economic Importance

The channel today has no economic significance. Only its banks and towpaths serve the Parisians as a recreational area. However, there are efforts to make the channel for water tourism with sports and houseboats and pleasure craft attractive. For this reason, the existing lock dimensions are expanded gradually. There are also plans to re- build a navigable connection with the Marne at Lizy -sur- Ourcq.

Places on the canal

  • Silly- la -Poterie
  • La Ferté -Milon
  • Mareuil -sur- Ourcq
  • Neufchelles
  • Crouy- sur- Ourcq
  • Lizy -sur- Ourcq
  • Congis -sur- Therouanne
  • Varreddes
  • Meaux
  • Fresnes- sur -Marne
  • Claye- Souilly
  • Paris
Marne (river) Canal Saint-Martin Pierre-Simon Girard Pays de Retz
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