Locks: Canal de l'Oise à l'Aisne

The canal de l'Oise à l'Aisne links the Oise valley with the Aisne valley. It leaves the Canal latéral à l'Oise at Abbécourt at the northern end and joins the Canal latéral à l'Aisne at Bourg-et-Comin at the southern end. There are no links to other waterways along its route.

The 13 locks on this 48km long canal are operated by the boater using a remote control unit or télécommande. The unit is used to set the lock from a point about 100 metres away. A traffic light system is in place: flashing orange means the lock has received the request to operate, red and green means lock being got ready, green means it is safe to enter, two reds mean lock is out of operation.

The following information about the Canal de l'Oise à l'Aisne is taken from French-waterways.com:

The Canal de l’Oise à l’Aisne, opened to navigation in 1890, forms an important link between the Canal latéral à l’Oise at Abbécourt basin (PK 3) and the Canal latéral à l’Aisne at Bourg-et-Comin (PK 38). This 48km junction canal still carries regular commercial traffic (up to 20 barges a day), but is also on one of the main routes used by boats heading south from Calais, Dunkerque or Belgium. The route is regularly used by commercial traffic, which as always, takes priority at the locks, and at the tunnel.

There are short aqueducts at each end of the canal, over the rivers Oise and Aisne.

The summit level between the two valleys, at an altitude of 66m, includes a 2365m long tunnel at Braye-en-Laonnois. The tunnel’s width at water level is 6.50m, and the free headroom at least 3.50m. All vessels proceed through the tunnel under their own power, respecting the lights at each entrance. There may be delays of up to one hour.

History – Part of the Freycinet plan, this link canal was one of the last to be built in France. It was opened in 1890, with locks 40.50m by 6.00m and a depth of 2.20m. These dimensions still apply today. The canal provides a short cut between Champagne and the Canal de Saint-Quentin, crossing the Oise on a fine aqueduct.

Écluse 1 Abbécourt (4.12m)