Canal de la Somme | |
---|---|
Specifications | |
Length | 156.4 km (97.2 mi) |
Locks | 25 |
Total rise | 66 m (217 ft) |
History | |
Construction began | 1770 |
Date completed | 1843 |
Geography | |
Start point | English Channel at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme |
End point | Canal de Saint-Quentin at St. Simon |
Connects to | Canal de Saint-Quentin but disused Canal du Nord |
The Canal de la Somme is a canal in northern France. Its total length is 156.4 km with 25 locks, from the English Channel at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme to the Canal de Saint-Quentin at Saint-Simon.
The Somme River was canalized beginning in 1770. The 54 km section from St. Simon to Bray was completed by 1772, but the rest was not finished until 1843. [1]
The canal as originally built has seen substantial modifications since construction of the Canal du Nord in 1904–1965, and is now made up of four distinct sections:
Some authors distinguish the Grande Somme downstream from Péronne and the Petite Somme upstream from Voyennes. Since 2005 the latter section has been closed to navigation as a result of silt deposits. [1]
In the 1960s, more than 300,000 tonnes of goods were transported on the canal. Today it is used largely by pleasure boats.
Canal de la Somme | |
---|---|
Specifications | |
Length | 156.4 km (97.2 mi) |
Locks | 25 |
Total rise | 66 m (217 ft) |
History | |
Construction began | 1770 |
Date completed | 1843 |
Geography | |
Start point | English Channel at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme |
End point | Canal de Saint-Quentin at St. Simon |
Connects to | Canal de Saint-Quentin but disused Canal du Nord |
The Canal de la Somme is a canal in northern France. Its total length is 156.4 km with 25 locks, from the English Channel at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme to the Canal de Saint-Quentin at Saint-Simon.
The Somme River was canalized beginning in 1770. The 54 km section from St. Simon to Bray was completed by 1772, but the rest was not finished until 1843. [1]
The canal as originally built has seen substantial modifications since construction of the Canal du Nord in 1904–1965, and is now made up of four distinct sections:
Some authors distinguish the Grande Somme downstream from Péronne and the Petite Somme upstream from Voyennes. Since 2005 the latter section has been closed to navigation as a result of silt deposits. [1]
In the 1960s, more than 300,000 tonnes of goods were transported on the canal. Today it is used largely by pleasure boats.