The Canal de Roubaix is a canal in northern France. It joins the Canal de la Deûle near
Marquette-lez-Lille
Marquette-lez-Lille (, literally ''Marquette near Lille''; Dutch: ''Market(t)e'') is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
Population
Monuments
* Grands Moulins de Paris
Her ...
to the Canal de l’Espierres in Belgium at Leers, just east of the former textile manufacturing town Roubaix. It is 20 km long with 12 locks. The Belgian canal continues 8.4 km and three locks beyond the border to the junction with the river Escaut (
Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
).
The canal fell into disuse in 1985 and was going to be infilled for an urban expressway.
Instead, the canal was repaired and reopened in September 2009. The first normal operating season, after dredging works on the Belgian canal, was 2011.
Navigation
The canal has been found by all boat owners who use it to be a surprisingly picturesque navigation, considering the industrial character of much of the route and the economic decline suffered by the population for decades. The summit level is part of the vast urban regeneration area of L'Union, in Tourcoing and Roubaix. As forecast by the initiators of the restoration project, the reopened canal has injected new life and a sense of pride in this part of the local industrial heritage. Locks and moveable bridges are operated by staff of the Lille metropolitan authority MEL (Espaces Naturels Métropolitains).
See also
Canal de Roubaixwith further maps and expanded details (by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'')
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals(French waterways website section)
*
List of canals in France
This is a list of the navigable canals and rivers in France. For reference purposes, all waterways are listed, including many that have been abandoned for navigation, mostly in the period 1925-1955, but some in later years. Although several source ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canal de Roubaix
Roubaix
Roubaix ( or ; nl, Robaais; vls, Roboais) is a city in northern France, located in the Lille metropolitan area on the Belgian border. It is a historically mono-industrial commune in the Nord department, which grew rapidly in the 19th century ...
Canals opened in 1877
1877 establishments in France