![SEVRAN_-_Chemin_de_halage_et_pont_de_Sevran](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/SEVRAN_-_Chemin_de_halage_et_pont_de_Sevran.jpg)
The Canal de l'Ourcq is a long canal in the
ĂŽle-de-France region (greater Paris) with 10 locks.
It was built at a width of but was enlarged to 3.7 m (12 ft), which permitted use by more pleasure boats.
The canal begins at Port-aux-Perches near the village of Troesnes, where it splits from the channeled river
Ourcq
The Ourcq (, ''Urc'' in 855) is an river in France, a right tributary of the Marne. Its source is near the village Ronchères, and its course crosses the departments of Aisne, Oise, and Seine-et-Marne. It flows southwest through the towns of ...
, and flows to the
Bassin de la Villette
The Bassin de la Villette (La Villette Basin) is the largest artificial lake in Paris. It was filled with water on 2 December 1808. Located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, 19th arrondissement of the capital, it links the Canal de l'Ourcq to ...
, where it joins the
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km (2.86 mi) long canal in Paris, connecting the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine. Over nearly half its length (), between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille, it was covered, in the ...
. Paris requires of water daily for cleaning the sewer system, gutters, and parks.
The Canal de l'Ourcq provides about half of the requirement. Since 1983, the waterway has been designated for use by pleasure craft, and its water is designated for non-drinking uses.
The canal is considered part of the
Parisian canal network, along with the
Canal Saint-Denis
The Canal Saint-Denis is a canal in Paris that is in length. The canal connects the Canal de l'Ourcq, at a point north-northwest of the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, with the suburban municipalities of Saint-Denis and Auberv ...
, the bassin de la Villette, and the
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km (2.86 mi) long canal in Paris, connecting the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine. Over nearly half its length (), between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille, it was covered, in the ...
. The canals were created as part of the administrative management of water in Paris during the nineteenth century.
Geography
![Meaux Ourcq canal dockside](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Meaux_Ourcq_canal_dockside.JPG)
The river Ourcq's headwaters are located in the wet prairie near
Fère-en-Tardenois
Fère-en-Tardenois (, literally ''Fère in Tardenois'') is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
It is named for the Tardenois region.
Population
Personalities
It was the birthplace of Camille Claudel (1864 ...
in the
Aisne
Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.[département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...]
. The river is canalized in
Silly-la-Poterie. Its water then follows an course through the valley and empties into the
Marne Marne can refer to:
Places France
*Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine
*Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river
* La Marne, a commune in western France
*Marne, a legislative constituency (France)
Nethe ...
near
Lizy-sur-Ourcq
Lizy-sur-Ourcq (, literally ''Lizy on Ourcq'') is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the ĂŽle-de-France region in north-central France.
Demographics
Inhabitants are called ''Lizéens''.
Localisation
Lizy-sur-Ourcq is located at 16 ...
. Pipework diverts the river from
Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, where most of the water flows to Paris via the current canal.
History
The River Ourcq
The first efforts towards engineering the waterway were inspired by the need for firewood for heating in Paris. The
Valois and
Orléans
Orléans (;["Orleans"](_blank)
(US) and [locks
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...]
. In 1661,
Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
allowed tolls to be collected along the Ourcq, payable to
Philippe d'Orléans.
Potable water in Paris
When Paris was known as
Lutetia
The Gallo-Roman town of ''Lutetia'' (''Lutetia Parisiorum'' in Latin, in French ''Lutèce'') was the predecessor of the modern-day city of Paris. It was founded in about the middle of the 3rd century BCE by the Parisii, a Gallic tribe. Tra ...
, the inhabitants of
île Saint-Louis
Île Saint-Louis (), eleven hectares in size, is one of two natural islands in the Seine river, in Paris, France (the other natural island is the Île de la Cité, where Notre-Dame de Paris is located). Île Saint-Louis is connected to the res ...
used water from the
Seine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributarie ...
. In the
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...
era, while the
montagne Sainte-Geneviève
The Montagne Sainte-Geneviève is a hill overlooking the left bank of the Seine in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It was known to the ancient Romans as .Hilaire Belloc, ''Paris (Methuen & Company, 1900)'' Retrieved June 14, 2016 Atop the Monta ...
was occupied, the water quality began to deteriorate and people began to frequent the
Roman Baths
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...
or
public baths
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...
.
During the 4th century, construction of the ''aqueduc d’Arcueil'' began under Emperor
Julian the Apostate
Julian ( la, Flavius Claudius Julianus; grc-gre, Ἰουλιανός ; 331 – 26 June 363) was Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek. His rejection of Christianity, and his promotion of Neoplato ...
. This structure directed water to the Cluny Baths. After the fall of Rome, the aqueducts, to a large extent, were destroyed. For four centuries, from the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
to the
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
the waters of the Seine were used, mainly from sources at
Belleville and
Le Pré-Saint-Gervais
Le Pré-Saint-Gervais (; simply known by locals as Le Pré, i.e. "the meadow") is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. With a density of 25,643 inhabitants per square kilometres as of 20 ...
. King
Philip II Philip II may refer to:
* Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC)
* Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor
* Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374)
* Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404)
* Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497)
* Philip ...
, while establishing the
Halles de Paris, a sheltered marketplace, had two fountains built in order to aid construction.
By the 18th century, little improvements had been made to bring potable water to Paris. Engineer
Pierre-Paul Riquet
Stele in Toulouse Cathedral
Pierre-Paul Riquet, Baron de Bonrepos (29 June 1609 (some sources say 1604) – 4 October 1680) was the engineer and canal-builder responsible for the construction of the Canal du Midi.
Background
Paul Riquet was b ...
proposed building a canal from the Ourcq, however his suggestion was not implemented before his death in 1680.
Construction of the canal
![Canal de l'Ourcq dans la Foret de Sevran](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Canal_de_l%27Ourcq_dans_la_Foret_de_Sevran.jpg)
On 19 May 1802,
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
ordered the creation of the canal. Specifically, he decreed that the Seine be diverted from below the Bassin de l'Arsenal to the Bassin de la Villette. The canals would have the dual purposes of providing shipping channels which avoided the
Seine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributarie ...
and bringing water to Paris. Funding was secured via a grant and supplemental wine taxes, and the first stone was laid on 23 September. Napoleon appointed
Pierre-Simon Girard
Pierre-Simon Girard (4 November 1765 – 30 November 1836) was a French mathematician and engineer, who worked on fluid mechanics.
Girard was born in Caen. A prodigy who invented a water turbine at the age of ten, he worked as an engineer at th ...
to direct the project and work was undertaken in January 1804. The design of the canal called for a structure in which the water was both slowmoving, to aid navigation, and non-stagnant, in order to provide healthy drinking water. The canal was also intended to feed the
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km (2.86 mi) long canal in Paris, connecting the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine. Over nearly half its length (), between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille, it was covered, in the ...
and
Canal Saint-Denis
The Canal Saint-Denis is a canal in Paris that is in length. The canal connects the Canal de l'Ourcq, at a point north-northwest of the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, with the suburban municipalities of Saint-Denis and Auberv ...
. The projected confluence would enable easier navigation through the city centre, as the Seine was not yet dammed, and the canal would provide an alternate route.
Private financiers were awarded the contract to construct and manage the canals. The city of Paris agreed to purchase land and surrender tolls for 99 years to the firms building the canals (the cost of construction was estimated at 6 million francs).
Work began in 1805 under
Édouard de Villiers du Terrage
Édouard de Villiers du Terrage (26 April 1780 – 19 April 1855) was a French engineer who together with Jean-Baptiste Prosper Jollois journeyed with Napoleon to Egypt, and prepared the ''Description de l'Égypte.''
1780 births
1855 deat ...
.
The bassin de la Villette was filled with water on 2 December 1808, and on 15 August 1813 the first boat traveled through the canal. After the fall of the
French Empire, work stopped until the
Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to:
France under the House of Bourbon:
* Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815)
Spain under the Spanish Bourbons:
* ...
in 1814. The monarchy contracted with the ''Compagnie Vassel et Saint-Didier'' for 99 years, which allowed the company to collect tolls along the property, but required that the canal be completed and maintained. It was then realized that the slope was steep, causing too strong a current. Engineer Marie-Émile Vuigner added five locks to make navigation possible. The canal was opened to navigation in 1822.
According to a 1989 survey of
ship lifts
A boat lift, ship lift, or lift lock is a machine for transporting boats between water at two different elevations, and is an alternative to the canal lock.
It may be vertically moving, like the Anderton boat lift in England, rotational, like ...
, from the Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses (
PIANC
The World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) is an international professional organisation founded in 1885.
PIANC’s mission today is to provide expert guidance and technical advice on technical, economic and environment ...
), in 1893 a
canal inclined plane
An inclined plane is a type of cable railway used on some canals for raising boats between different water levels. Boats may be conveyed afloat, in caissons, or may be carried in cradles or slings.
History
Inclined planes have evolved over the ...
was constructed on the canal, near
Meaux
Meaux () is a commune on the river Marne in the Seine-et-Marne department in the ĂŽle-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is east-northeast of the centre of Paris.
Meaux is, with Provins, Torcy and Fontainebleau, ...
.
[
]
It was only capable of lifting vessels 70 tons and 24 metres length. The vertical lift was 12.2 metres.
Under the reign of
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
, water shortages caused boats to become stranded along the canal. In response, authority was given to take water from the
Marne Marne can refer to:
Places France
*Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine
*Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river
* La Marne, a commune in western France
*Marne, a legislative constituency (France)
Nethe ...
.
In 1895 construction began to widen the canal in order for it to accommodate 1,000 tonne vessels. In 1920 this widening was extended to
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
History
The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune of ...
.
Today the canal provides approximately half of the daily water requirement for the city's public works.
Developments
In February 2005, the Council of Paris launched a study on construction of a proposed port along the Canal de l'Ourcq. This would be on the widened section from La Villette to Pavillons-sous-Bois () which is navigable by Seine barges carrying up to 900 tonnes.
The port would facilitate the transportation of material processed by the Romainville waste treatment centre managed by the metropolitan waste collection and disposal agency SYCTOM. This would avoid the need for trucks to carry this waste. In addition to the quay for barges to load and unload, the port would have facilities for reception, sorting, and shipping of bulky objects, as well as servicing waste containers from the domestic waste sorting and collection facilities.
References
External links
Paris - Canal de l'Ourcq, Canal Saint-Denis and Canal Saint-Martinmaps and information on places, ports and moorings on the canals, by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'', Imray
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals(French waterways website section)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canal De L'ourcq
Geography of Paris
Transport in Paris
Canals in France
19th arrondissement of Paris
Canals opened in 1813
1813 establishments in France