Briare Canal
| Briare Canal | |
|---|---|
| Specifications | |
| Length | 57 km (35 mi) |
| Locks | 36 |
| Status | Open |
| History | |
| Construction began | 1604 |
| Date completed | 1642 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Briare |
| End point | Buges near Montargis |
| Beginning coordinates | 47°38′20″N 2°43′46″E / 47.63899°N 2.72937°E |
| Ending coordinates | 48°01′42″N 2°43′21″E / 48.02821°N 2.72259°E |
| Connects to | Canal du Loing and Canal latéral à la Loire |
| { | |
The Briare Canal (French: Canal de Briare, pronounced [kanal də bʁijaʁ]) is one of the oldest canals in France. Its construction started in 1604. It was the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using pound locks, connecting the Rhone-Saône and Seine valleys. It is 57 kilometres (35 miles) long and is part of the Bourbonnais route from Saint-Mammès on the Seine to Chalon-sur-Saône on the Saône.
From Briare to Buges, the canal rises through the first 12 locks some 41 m (135 ft) and then falls 85 m (279 ft) through the remaining 24 locks.