| Briare Canal | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 57 km (35 mi) |
| Locks | 36 |
| Status | Open |
| History | |
| Construction began | 1604 |
| Date completed | 1642 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Briare |
| End point | Buges near Montargis |
| Beginning coordinates | 47°38′20″N 2°43′46″E / 47.63899°N 2.72937°E |
| Ending coordinates | 48°01′42″N 2°43′21″E / 48.02821°N 2.72259°E |
| Connects to | Canal du Loing and Canal latéral à la Loire |
 | |
The Briare Canal (French: Canal de Briare, pronounced [kanal də bʁijaʁ]) is one of the oldest canals in France. Its construction started in 1604. It was the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using pound locks, connecting the Rhone-Saône and Seine valleys. It is 57 kilometres (35 miles) long and is part of the Bourbonnais route from Saint-Mammès on the Seine to Chalon-sur-Saône on the Saône.[1][2]
From Briare to Buges, the canal rises through the first 12 locks some 41 m (135 ft) and then falls 85 m (279 ft) through the remaining 24 locks.[3]
- ^ Jefferson, David (2009). Through the French Canals. Adlard Coles Nautical. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-4081-0381-4.
- ^ McKnight, Hugh (2005). Cruising French Waterways, 4th Edition. Sheridan House. ISBN 978-0-7136-6638-0.
- ^ Loire Nivernais Waterways Guide 02. Editions du Breil. ISBN 978-2-913120-00-6.