The Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne (, literally ''Canal between
Champagne
Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
and
Burgundy
Burgundy ( ; ; Burgundian: ''Bregogne'') is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. ...
''), previously named Canal de la Marne à la Saône (, literally ''Canal of the Marne to the Saône''), is a canal in north-eastern France connecting the towns of
Vitry-le-François and
Maxilly-sur-Saône.
It is a summit level canal of Freycinet dimensions connecting the
Marne and the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; ; ) is a river in eastern France (modern Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges (department), Vosges Departments of France, department an ...
. It is 224.191 kilometres long, and has 114 locks (71 on the Marne side and 43 on the Saône side) and two tunnels,
Condes which is 275 metres long and the tunnel on the summit level between
Balesmes-sur-Marne and
Noidant-Chatenoy, 4820 metres long. which runs almost exactly underneath the source of the Marne.
The canal is fed by four reservoirs designed for that purpose: , , , and
Lac de la Vingeanne
*Altitude at
Vitry-le-François: 104 m
*Altitude at
Maxilly-sur-Saône: 187 m
*Altitude of summit level: 345 m
The canal was recently renamed "Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne" for the purpose of promoting tourism, but barge skippers often call it the "canal d'Heuilley". This is in reference to
Heuilley-sur-Saône, the name of the lock and lock-cut on the Petite-Saône which the canal joins, although the actual junction lies within the neighbouring commune
Maxilly-sur-Saône. It is a standard process among bargemen to name the canal after the location where it starts. For example, the Canal Vire-et-Taute in Cotentin was called "canal des Ourmes" the name of its first lock, "les Ormes".
History
Work began on the extension of the old canal of the Haute-Marne in 1880, and the canal opened in 1907, the last to be built of the Freycinet canal network in central France.
En route
*
PK 0
Vitry-le-François
* PK 25
Saint-Dizier
Saint-Dizier () is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.
It has a population of 23,382 (2018 figure) and is a subprefecture of the department. Although Saint-Dizier is marginally the most populous commune in Hau ...
* PK 57
Autigny-le-Grand
* PK 72
Donjeux
* PK 109.4
Chaumont
* PK 152.5 beginning of summit level
* PK 155-160 Balesmes tunnel
* PK 163 end of summit level
* PK 222.5
Maxilly-sur-Saône
* PK 224 Ends at the right-angle junction with the Heuilley lock-cut on the
Petite Saône
See also
*
List of canals in France
This is a list of the navigable canals and rivers in France. For reference purposes, all waterways are listed, including many that have been abandoned for navigation, mostly in the period 1925-1955, but some in later years. Although several source ...
References
External links
Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogneguide with maps and details of places, ports and moorings on the canal, by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'', Imray
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals(French waterways website section)
{{Authority control
Canals in France
Canals opened in 1907