Canal de Bourgogne

Canal de Bourgogne
The Canal de Bourgogne in Chassignelles
Map
Specifications
Length242 km (150 mi)[1]
Lock length40 m[2]
Lock width5.2 m[2]
Locks189[1] (originally 191)
StatusOpen
History
Construction began1775
Date completed1832
Geography
Start pointYonne junction in Migennes[1]
End pointSaône junction in Saint-Jean-de-Losne[1]
Connects toYonne, Saône
Map

The Canal de Bourgogne (French pronunciation: [kanal buʁɡɔɲ]; English: Canal of Burgundy or Burgundy Canal) is a canal in the Burgundy historical region in east-central France. It connects the Yonne at Migennes with the Saône at Saint-Jean-de-Losne. Construction began in 1775 and was completed in 1832. The canal completes the link between the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea, via the rivers Seine and the Yonne to the Saône and Rhône.

The canal is 242 km (150 mi) long, with 189 locks. There were originally 191 lock basins, but the double staircase locks at Migennes (114-115Y) and Germigny (106-107Y) had the uppermost set of gates removed and the lower chamber raised to form single locks, but they are twice as deep as a standard lock (5.13 m and 5.14 m instead of the usual 2.5 to 3 m).

The canal passes through the departments of Yonne and Côte-d'Or. Its summit level is at Pouilly-en-Auxois, 378 m above sea level, when the canal passes through a tunnel 3.3 km long. The lowest point is at the junction with the Yonne at 79 m (259 ft) above sea level.

  1. ^ a b c d McKnight, Hugh (2005). Cruising French Waterways, 4th Edition. Sheridan House. ISBN 978-1-57409-087-1.
  2. ^ a b Jefferson, David (2009). Through the French Canals. Adlard Coles Nautical. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-4081-0381-4.