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Canal de Bourgogne

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Canal de Bourgogne

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.

The canal begins at Migennes where the former double staircase lock gives access from the Yonne to a large basin. For the next 100 km the canal follows the valley of the Armançon river. This is a centuries-old route towards the south-east, which is why the canal is closely followed by road and railway. The first lock after leaving Migennes, Cheny (113Y), is one of the few electric locks to be found on the canal. After 9 km the canal arrives in Brienon-sur-Armançon with its recently built grain silos which permit the loading of barges and trains. The canal then heads off towards Saint-Florentin with its aqueduct over the Armance river and the impressive church overlooking the lower town.

After the former double lock at Germigny (107-106Y) and Egrevin lock (105Y) the canal runs alongside the D905 (formerly N5) road. This pound suffered exceptional damage with almost all of the trees being blown down during the great storm of 26 December 1999. The canal continues through Flogny-la-Chapelle, somewhat surprisingly leaves Burgundy for a short stretch (1.5 km) as it passes through Charrey in the Aube department (Champagne-Ardenne region) and heads to the town of Tonnerre, famous for the Fosse Dionne spring and the birthplace of the Chevalier d'Eon.

Leaving Tonnerre the canal closely follows the Armançon and meanders due to hills situated between Tonnerre and Ancy-le-Franc. The canal passes through the village of Commissey before arriving in Tanlay with its impressive Renaissance château. At Lézinnes boats meet a series of six electrified locks, taking them past a cement works and more grain silos at Pacy-sur-Armançon and on to Ancy-le-Franc. Here the tourist can visit the famous 16th-century château set in its vast grounds.

Leaving Ravières there is an extremely difficult pound which suffers from intense growth of aquatic weeds and which can cause fouling of the propeller. Immediately after is situated the small village of Cry-sur-Armançon, site of the Acrobatix Adventure Park.

After passing through Aisy the canal enters the Côte-d'Or department. It then runs through Buffon past the great ironwork forge built by the Comte de Buffon in the 18th century. It is then merely a short trip until arrival in the town of Montbard. Nearby is the Abbey of Fontenay. The canal is now running through the wide, flat plain of the river Brenne. Eight locks and 13 km after Montbard the canal arrives in Venarey-les-Laumes situated close to the village of Alise-Sainte-Reine thought to be the site of the Battle of Alesia.

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