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Loire River

A Lock to Cross the Loire – Une écluse pour traverser la Loire

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From 1838 to 1896, boats travelling from the south of France to Paris crossed the Loire at Châtillon-sur-Loire via the Mantelot lock. Those who arrived via the Canal latéral à la Loire sailed up the old Canal to the Mantelot water station. Sometimes they had to wait several days or even several weeks for the right navigation conditions. When the river and the weather finally let them go through the Mantelot lock, they joined the Loire along a channel created by a series of small dikes called “chevrettes” (cheverettes d’Ousson, Mantelot and Escargot). The lock was replaced by the Briare canal aqueduct. That must have been a relief!
For more information (in French I’m afraid), please click here.
Les bateaux qui remontaient du sud vers Paris ont traversé la Loire à Châtillon-sur-Loire, de 1838 à 1896, grâce à l’écluse de Mantelot. Ceux qui arrivaient par le canal latéral à la Loire empruntaient le vieux Canal pour rejoindre la gare d’eau de Mantelot. Il fallait parfois attendre plusieurs jours ou parfois même plusieurs semaines avant que les conditions de navigation ne soient favorables. Quand le fleuve et la météo le permettaient enfin, les bateaux s’engageaient dans l’écluse de Mantelot et se lançaient sur la Loire en suivant un chenal créé par un ensemble de petites digues ou « chevrettes », les chevrettes d’Ousson, de Mantelot et de l’Escargot. Cette écluse a été remplacé par le pont-canal de Briare. Quel soulagement !
Pour plus d’informations, je vous invite à cliquer ici.
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6 replies on “A Lock to Cross the Loire – Une écluse pour traverser la Loire”

Yes, I really enjoyed Marnie and Graham’s blog as well. I hope you have a good canal experience! I have an Australian friend you went on a trip last year. I can put you in contact with her if you like. Her blog, which she now longer keeps us, is Femme Francophile.

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