Locks: Canal latéral à la Marne

This canal connects Épernay & Dizy on the River Marne in the east to Vitry-le-Francois at its western end where it meets the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne. At Condé-sur-Marne the Canal de l'Aisne a la Marne leaves the canal and heads north up through Reims to the River Aisne. At Vitry-le-Francois it also meets with the Canal de la Marne au Rhin which heads west to the River Rhine.

There are 15 locks on the 67 kilometre canal that joins the River Marne to the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne. When the locks were extended to Freycinet gauge a few were removed completely and replaced by deeper locks. Consequently the original lock plates on some lock cottages reflect the original rather than the current lock number.

All the locks are automatic and opened by the boater twisting a pole hanging over the canal about 100 metres before the lock. Once in the lock the boater sets the lock operation in motion by pulling up a blue metal rod on the lock side.

Karen setting the lock into operation

The locks can accommodate boats 39 metres long and 5 metres wide and all have a drinking water tap for boats to take on water.

The locks have lock cottages with the name of the lock and distances to the nearest towns.

History:
The canal was needed to bypass the river Marne, difficult to navigate upstream of Épernay. Works started in 1836 under the Becquey programme, and were completed in 1846. Lengthening of the locks to Freycinet dimensions was completed in the late 19th century. The last lock at Dizy has the same length as those of the Marne. The 2 kilometre Vitry-le-François bypass was built in the 1960s.

More information can be found here: (visit link)

Écluse 1 - Vitry le François (2.76m)

Écluse 1b - Ermite (abandoned)

This lock used to drop boats onto the River Marne when the upper reaches of the river were the only navigation available.