Canal de Garonne

(pp 90-91) 6/12/2010
The water slope at Montech has been out of service for 18 months. This affects hotel boats and trip boats, and VNF has no plans for short-term repairs and renovation. At 36 years old, the water slope's traction unit is practically life-expired. All craft use the flight of five 30m locks.

"Plein gaz" photo by Phil'Ours on Panoramio, photo taken in July 2008 before the traction unit had to be taken out of service

Lot (Aveyron)

(pp 117-126) 7/08/2011
The part of the river Lot in the département Aveyron was reopened to navigation over a length of 11km in May 2011. The length should have been 17km but complex dredging works are required in the approach to the lock-cut at Larroque-Bouillac, and the Council is still waiting for authorisation. The available section comprises three locks, and will be attractive for trailed boats. It also has a well-equipped electric trip boat L'Olt. Opening of the Lot in Aveyron could be celebrated by organisation of a boat rally in June 2012, but the lead for this initiative would have to be taken by associations, since the Council is not in a position to fund the international event initially envisaged.

Canal de Pommerœul à Condé

(pp 204-205) - 22/07/2010
Restoration of this high-capacity waterway is delayed by complications surrounding the administrative procedures for the disposal of contaminated sediments. Reopening of this vital link in the Seine-Scheldt Waterway is not expected to be completed until 2016.

Red buoys block access to the canal's silted entrance from the Scheldt (Escaut)

Rhône

(pp 210-215) 7/08/2011
Gervans and Sablons locks are the last two to be renovated under CNR's current investment programme, and have lock-keepers in the control tower (mirador). From 1st January 2012 these lock-keepers will be transferred to other posts, and all 12 locks will be controlled from the single operations control centre at Châteauneuf (km 159). VHF communications and emergency calls on the intercom (from the land side) will now be handled by the centre at Châteauneuf and any assistance will be provided by other staff in the power plant at each site.
Hotel boat Napoleon moored at La Voulte, km 124, in August 2011

Upper Rhône

(pp 216-219) 22/07/2010
The text under 'locks' is not as I had written it in March 2010, just before my laptop was stolen in Rotterdam. Much of the published text relates to the former system of boat ramps and elevators. I apologise for this error. The two sets of Freycinet-size locks at Chautagne and Belley were opened to navigation on 15 June and 1st July 2010 respectively.

They are operated by an original semi-automatic system which allows the locks to be worked by boaters themselves. The programmable automatic controller takes into account not only the actual push-button commands, but also the direct oral communications between the boaters and the centralised control facility (by phone or intercom), and spoken alarms are also integrated. The locks will be staffed during the peak season.

The total cost of the bypasses and locks at the two sites was €39.5 million.

The upper lock at Belley (Brens) during completion of the works.

Canal de Roubaix

(pp 239-242) - 7/08/2011
The canal was reopened for regular navigation on June 1st, 2011, under the responsibility of the 'Parks and Canals' department of Lille Métropole. The local authority has taken over from VNF on an experimental basis for two years. The above date also marked completion of the Belgian Canal de l'Espierres. Boaters are required to book their passage through the canal 24 hours before arrival on +33 (0) 3 20 63 11 39 or e-mail to relaiscanal@enm-lille.fr. The canal office is at Relais Nature, 202, rue de Roubaix, 59000 Tourcoing. Boats approaching from Belgium are to call the first lock, Warcoing on +32 (0) 695 56863 or VHF channel 79.

The waterway will be open this year until 15th October and operating times are :
Locks: 08:30 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 18:00
Bridges: 09:30 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 16:30
The air draught is 3.60m. The draught is 1.60m in France except for the Tourcoing Arm, which is 1.00m. In Belgium the draught is 1.5m.

Boats at the Union site during the Blue Days rally in September 2009

Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise

(pp 247-249) - 22/10/2011
Works to restore the Vadencourt and Macquigny aqueducts are expected to start in 2012 under an investment programme estimated at €11.3 million. Completion and reopening of the canal, announced in IWF for 2013, is now expected to take place in 2014. A vigorous campaign for restoration of this important link from the Netherlands and Wallonia to Paris, Burgundy and the Saône was led by a local association Canal SET with support from DBA The Barge Association and Inland Waterways International.