Locks: Canal du Nivernais

The Canal du Nivernais links the Loire with the Seine following approximately the course of the river Yonne in a south to north direction, first climbing northeast and north to cross the Morvan watershed, then roughly following the course of the river Yonne, south to north. Beginning on the Loire in the village of Saint-Léger-des-Vignes, the canal is situated entirely in the département of Nièvre reaching its half-way point at the town of Clamecy and finishes in the town of Auxerre, situated on the river Yonne.

The minimum dimension of the locks on this canal is 38.5 metres long by 5.05 metres wide. There is a stretch of locks in the centre of the navigation that are only 30.5 metres in length, these are from Port Brulé to Cercy-la-tour.  The locks are all manually operated by VNF éclusiers.

The canal is 174 km (108 mi) long and has 112 locks. It is fed at its summit at Port Brûlé by a feeder canal from the Pannecière reservoir, including an elegant aqueduct at Montreuillon. In its northerly course it is regularly fed by the Yonne and on the southern slope by the Aron. The summit level pound also comprises three tunnels. Although the feeder canal arrives at Port Brûlé, the top of the canal is generally considered to be at Baye at the southern end of the tunnels.

Construction of the canal began in 1784, initially to aid the flottage (floating) of timber rafts from the forests of the Morvan national park to Paris, via Clamecy and Auxerre. However, in reality, the canal was quickly established as an important communication route, carrying timber, building stone, grain and wine out of the region, and bringing in coal. It contributed significantly to the economic development of the Nièvre, particularly the area known as the 'Valleys of the Yonne' of which the small town of Clamecy is the capital, and also to the quarries at Chevroches and Dornecy. The canal du Nivernais importance in this respect, faded with the arrival of the railway in the 19th century.

Click on a series of locks below to see our pictures of them.

Versant de la Loire

Écluses 1 - 18

Écluses 19 - 35

Versant de la Seine

Écluses 1 - 20

Écluses 21 - 40

Écluses 41 - 60

Écluses 61 - 81