Channel of Caronte
The channel of Caronte is a channel located in Provence which makes communicate the pond of Berre with the Golfe of Fos.
It is at first century BC that the Romains dig a channel which connects this pond in an intermittent way with marine water of the the Mediterranean.
From 1863, in order to create a navigable connection of river type between Marseilles and the the Rhone, the channel of Caronte was dug between Martigues and Port-de-Bouc. It made following a channel bordering the pond of Berre since the tunnel under the Nerthe, given up today, and was prolonged Rhone side by a channel crossing the part Southern of the Crau, and now open on the port area of Fos.
This channel was gradually thorough to reach six, then nine meters, to give access of the ships the pond of Berre. The basin gradually was then invaded by salt water, with some local dessalures on the level of the affluents.
The pond of Berre becomes a pond brackish with a flora and a fauna characteristics of this medium, i.e. euryhalines, weak in diversity but important in Biomasse.
The channel crosses the town of Martigues, cuts out there an island bordered of quays which give to the city this air “ Venice provençale ” which was recognized to him. On one of the arms of the channel, downtown full of Martigues, a Pont raising was built to allow the passage of the boats of more than one meter in height, and in particular the tankers which serve the refineries of Mède and Berre.
The railway of Marseilles with Miramas via Port-de-Bouc crosses the channel on a metal Viaduc of almost one kilometer length, with nearly 25 m above the level water. But this height not allowing the passage of important ships, the central part of the viaduct was assembled on a swivelling axis, which allows the obliteration of the railway line time to let pass a maritime circulation " except gabarit" , which is currently extremely rare. The viaduct of Caronte is an exceptional specimen of railway architecture and its implementation an impressive spectacle.
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