Fonserannes Lock
The Nine Locks (French Escalier d' Écluses de Fonserannes, or simply: Écluses de Fonserannes ) is a staircase locks on the Canal du Midi. It is located in the municipal area of the French city of Beziers, in the department of Hérault, in the Languedoc- Roussillon region. The lock staircase is classified as a monument historique and one of the most visited attractions of the city.
Etymology
The name of the lock staircase wrote in the course of the centuries always different Fonceranes, Fonseranes, Foncerannes ( with or without the accent). Today is the usual spelling Fonserannes.
Development of the building
17th Century
The building dates from the 17th century and went together with the planned and built by Pierre -Paul Riquet Canal du Midi in operation ( section to Beziers ). The actual lock staircase originally consisted of eight contiguous lock chambers with a longitudinal extent of more than 300 meters. Another double lock ( Ecluse de Notre Dame ), which was not counted in the lock staircase, lay just ahead of about a kilometer distant connection to the river Orb. About the lock staircase and the following double lock the ships was the descent to the river possible. The ships had then about 700 meters to go far down the river. Where the exit was on the left bank in front of a weir in the continuation of the Canal du Midi.
19th century
Because the water flow of the Orb was very unsure of the mid-19th century a canal bridge was built across the river. This is located approximately in the middle of the previously used for shipping section of the Orb. The attitude of the new bridge channel is slightly higher than the upper waters of the previous lock chamber 7 which increases therefore, extends to the east and was connected to the bridge channel.
The lock chamber 8 and the double lock on the river were no longer needed and therefore closed for the passage of traffic. In order to allow traffic to the old channel port of Béziers and when required on the Ecluse de Notre Dame into the Orb on, the lock chamber 8 was also increased, and the lock chamber 7 got a Absperrtor against the bridge channel.
East of the canal bridge, two new double locks ( Ecluse Ecluse de l' Orb and de Béziers ) were built, with which the level of the previous channel continuation has been reached. Between these two locks in the new port of Béziers was created. Both new double locks were the late 20th century to double length - shortenable but with the help of a respective central gate - single-stage locks rebuilt.
The new route was put into operation in 1858 and provides in this form the current stage of construction of the lock staircase dar. lift the six lock chambers used today and lower the ships over a height of 13.6 meters. The chamber 7 has constant water level in the normal case, it is always filled and thus part of the bridge channel.
20th century
In 1983, was to speed up the passage and eventual replacement of the lock staircase right next door a modern boat lift, water wedge of Fonserannes built. It is an inclined trough in which the ship is transported in so-called wet- promotion. A trough the final plate is moved together with the in front of it forming wedge-shaped volume of water on which the boat floats, pushed by a tractor up, or slowed down to the valley. The operation of this elevator was not accompanied by success. Due to constant technical problems it was taken by 11 April 2001, out of service, all traffic has been running again on the lock staircase.
Current use of the lock staircase
Although the cargo shipping has disappeared almost entirely on the Canal du Midi, reached the tourism on the water with sports and houseboats, as well as passenger ships for excursions and floating hotels converted Pénichen great importance. Every year about 10,000 vessels pass through the lock staircase, in the summer months of July and August there are even up to 60 per day.
To cope with this amount, a one-way system was introduced, in which several times during fixed periods of time, the waiting vessels are either downward or upward only funneled day. In each chamber fit three of the usual tourist boats. The smuggling of a ship's group is down about 30 and upwards about 45 minutes. When downward locks the ship groups are moved together with a single chamber filling down. During the up locks a chamber filling is used for each stage. To speed up the process, each chamber is filled from the second chamber from higher. The water exchange occurs faster due to the associated increased level difference. But is lost in an additional chamber filling.
The operation of the locks via radio by the on-site staff of the French waterway management Voies navigables de France ( VNF ). The costs of smuggling are covered with the use of the channel required to be purchased ship vignette.
Gallery
- Lock staircase Fonserannes (counting the chambers from top to bottom )
View from chamber 4 to the top
Look into the emptied chambers 3 and 2
View from chamber 3 down, in the disused channel background for Orb
View from chamber 5 down, right to the canal bridge over the Orb
The canal bridge over the Orb ( right fluent)
- Wedge of water lift Fonserannes
Wedge of water trough
Tractor with slider at the lower end of the chute
Tractor, slide lifted ( for the entrance and exit below)
Tractor on air filled wheels
Completed tractor at the top end of the chute, chute, as out of service