Channel from Nantes to Brest

The channel from Nantes to Brest is a channel French with small gauge which connects the towns of Nantes and Brest and borrows the valleys of the Isac, of Oust and the Blavet (which it joined with Pontivy). Its construction goes back to first half of the 19th century and its overall length is of 364 km.

History

The idea to open a way of inland navigation in Brittany goes back to the 16th century. In 1769, a first project of channel is proposed and of the plans are elaborate. It is however necessary to await the beginning of the 19th century and the Blocus of Brest by the Britanniques (see biography of the admiral Sir William Cornwallis), to convince Napoleon i of the strategic interest free Brest by the back-country. Key dates:

1803: engineer Guy Bouessel is in charge of the study of the project;
1811: beginning of work;
1858: inauguration of the channel by Napoleon III.

As from 1923, the construction of the Dam Guerlédan and progress of the Railroad put a final point at “freight” by water way (soft) between Nantes and the roads of Brest. Today, the towhorses left room to the fishermen, walkers and sportsmen. Barge S and disappeared Barge S, the channel, itself does not open any more its lock S but with the yachtmen.

Geography

The channel measures, of the Erdre to the Aulne, 364 km but is artificial only on 20% its length is approximately 73 km. Eight River are channeled to feed it, or are arranged to make them navigable, becoming the ramifications of enough surprising Breton navigable network. The workmen - sometimes of the peasants, often of the convicts or the prisoners of war - and the engineers created, on the whole, nearly 600 kilometers of ways and 325 locks in the five department S crossed by the channel.

Tourism and leisure

Since the construction of the Dam Guerlédan, navigation is limited of Nantes to Pontivy, and Carhaix to the sea. The walkers with foot or bicycle can, as for them, to entirely go along it thanks to the ways of Halage.

The finistère comprises 46 locks out of approximately 100 km and 22 communes bordering with many ports and points of accessible stay as well with the walkers, feet, bicycle, horse, kayak, pénichettes, as with the camp-sites drivers, campers…

… in some figures

The channel of Nantes to Brest represents:

238 locks including 18 absorbed by the Dam Guerlédan (the last lock is the 237 but there exists one 17 (a) with Redon).
channeled 8 cours d' water are: the Erdre, the Isac, the Oust, the Blavet, Gilded, Kergoat, Hyère and the Alder.
3 summit ponds: End-of-wood (alt. 20m), Hilvern (alt. 129m), Glomel (alt. 184m)
Labor costs: 160 million gold franc of 1860 (either 150 million Euros in 2000).

External bonds

Official site of the channel from Nantes to Brest, the Mixed trade-union of Tourist Installation of the Alder and Hyères (S.M.A.T.A.H.)
Site documented on the channel
File on the channel
Site photographs of the channel from Nantes to Brest left finistériennes, the 46 locks, the 22 communes their monuments and curiosities, fauna and the flora

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