The Canal de la Somme (French pronunciation: [kanal də la sɔm]) is a canal in northern France. Its total length is 156.4 km with 25 locks, from the English Channel at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme to the Canal de Saint-Quentin at Saint-Simon.
History
The Somme River was canalized beginning in 1770. The 54 km section from St. Simon to Bray was completed by 1772, but the rest was not finished until 1843.[1]
Overview
The canal as originally built has seen substantial modifications since construction of the Canal du Nord in 1904–1965, and is now made up of four distinct sections:
- 14.2 km (8.8 mi) and 1 lock from Saint-Valery-sur-Somme to Abbeville (the Canal maritime)[2]
- 105.3 km (65.4 mi) and 18 locks from Abbeville to Péronne[1]
- 20.3 km (12.6 mi) with 2 locks the section upgraded as part of the Canal du Nord
- 16.4 km (10.2 mi) and 4 locks from Voyennes to Saint-Simon, closed upstream from Offoy since 2004.[3]
Some authors distinguish the Grande Somme downstream from Péronne and the Petite Somme upstream from Voyennes. Since 2005 the latter section has been closed to navigation as a result of silt deposits.[1]
In the 1960s, more than 300,000 tonnes of goods were transported on the canal. Today it is used largely by pleasure boats.
En Route
- PK 156 Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
- PK 141 Abbeville
- PK 92 Amiens
- PK 34 Péronne
- PK 16 Voyennes
- PK 0 Saint-Simon
See also
References
- ^ a b c Jefferson, David (2009). Through the French Canals. Adlard Coles Nautical. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-4081-0381-4.
- ^ Edwards-May, David (2010). Inland Waterways of France. St Ives, Cambs., UK: Imray. pp. 90–94. ISBN 978-1-846230-14-1.
- ^ Fluviacarte, Canal de la Somme (amont)
External links
- Canal de la Somme information on places, ports and moorings on the canal, by the author of Inland Waterways of France, Imray
- Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals (French waterways website section)
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