La Nouvelle branch

(Redirected from Canal de la Robine)

The La Nouvelle branch (French: embranchement de La Nouvelle)[n 1] is a 37.3-kilometre (23.2 mi) branch of the Canal du Midi in Aude, southern France which runs from the Canal du Midi through Narbonne and on to the Mediterranean. It is made up of three waterways: the first 5.1 kilometres (3.2 mi) is the Canal de Jonction from the Canal du Midi to the Aude, the second section is 800 metres (2,625 ft) of the Aude itself and the third is the 31.6 kilometres (19.6 mi) Canal de la Robine which enters the Mediterranean at Port-la-Nouvelle.[1] The La Nouvelle branch is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Canal du Midi and is managed by the French navigation authority, Voies navigables de France.

Canal de Jonction at Sallèles d'Aude

Canal de Jonction

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Canal de Jonction
 
 
Canal du Midi
 
Cesse Footbridge
 
Cesse Lock
 
Truilhas Lock
 
Empare Lock
 
Argeliers Lock
 
Saint Cyr Lock
 
Sallèles-d'Aude Footbridge
 
Sallèles Lock
 
Sallèles Bridge
 
Gailhousty Bridge
 
Gailhousty Lock
 
 
River Aude
 
Canal de la Robine

The Canal de Jonction runs in a dead straight line and was built in 1776 to provide access to Narbonne from the Canal du Midi via the Canal de la Robine.[2] The Canal de Jonction enters the Aude some 800 m upstream from where the Canal de la Robine leaves it. Prior to 1776 the Canal du Midi port for Narbonne was Le Somail, 13.8 kilometres (8.6 mi) by road from the city centre.[1]

Locks on the Canal de Jonction

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PK Lock Location Coördinates Elevation
(MASL)
0.3 1 Cesse 43°16′55″N 2°55′26″E / 43.281825°N 2.923963°E / 43.281825; 2.923963 (Cesse Lock) 31.54
1.0 2 Truilhas 43°16′38″N 2°55′44″E / 43.277101°N 2.929015°E / 43.277101; 2.929015 (Truilhas Lock) 29.00
1.6 3 Empare 43°16′20″N 2°56′03″E / 43.272307°N 2.934109°E / 43.272307; 2.934109 (Empare Lock) 25.89
2.3 4 Argeliers 43°16′03″N 2°56′21″E / 43.267613°N 2.939171°E / 43.267613; 2.939171 (Argeliers Lock) 22.94
3.0 5 Saint-Cyr 43°16′03″N 2°56′21″E / 43.267613°N 2.939171°E / 43.267613; 2.939171 (Argeliers Lock) 19.95
3.7 6 Sallèles 43°15′26″N 2°56′59″E / 43.257163°N 2.949848°E / 43.257163; 2.949848 (Sallèles Lock) 17.16
4.9 7 Gailhousty 43°14′52″N 2°57′21″E / 43.247839°N 2.955702°E / 43.247839; 2.955702 (Gailhousty Lock) 11.76

The Aude

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The Canal de Jonction enters the Aude downstream of Gailhousty lock

Navigation is in the river Aude for a distance of only 800 metres (870 yd) between the two canals. However, on leaving the Canal de Jonction it is necessary first to head upstream before turning and coming back downstream against the opposite bank to the Canal de la Robine in order to avoid shallows caused by silt banks in the middle of the channel.[1]

Canal de la Robine

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Canal de la Robine
 
Canal de Jonction
 
 
River Aude
 
Moussoulens Lock
 
Pont Vieux
 
Raonel Lock
 
Gua Lock
 
Footbridge
 
Footbridge
 
Railway Bridge
 
Escoute Bridge
 
Carmes Bridge
 
Voltaire Bridge
 
Narbonne Lock
 
Merchants' Bridge
 
Footbridge
 
Sainte Catherine Bridge
 
Footbridge
 
Mandirac Lock
 
Road Bridge
 
 
Sainte-Lucie Lock
 
Railway Bridge
 
Port-la-Nouvelle
 
Mediterranean Sea

Following its opening in 1681, the commercial success of the Canal du Midi was such that Narbonne traders demanded improved access to it, so in 1686 the Canal de la Robine was constructed by Vauban as a lockless open cut following an abandoned course of the Aude.[1] The northern end of the canal is at the Aude at Moussoulens just south of Sallèles-d'Aude from where goods were transported by land to the Canal du Midi at Le Somail — a journey of approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi). A century later, when the Canal de Jonction was constructed, the Canal de la Robine was straightened and six single locks were built to deal with the more severe gradients, Narbonne finally had direct waterway access to the Canal du Midi.

From the Aude the canal passes through the centre of Narbonne and under the Merchants' Bridge (fr: le pont des Marchands) which is one of the few bridges in France which is still lined with houses. From there it runs through Bages and the Ile Sainte Lucie nature reserve before meeting the Mediterranean at Port-la-Nouvelle.

Locks on the Canal de la Robine

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PK Lock Location Coördinates Elevation[A]
(MASL)
05.8 08 Moussoulens 43°14′42″N 2°57′39″E / 43.244865°N 2.960728°E / 43.244865; 2.960728 (Moussoulens Lock) 9.30
09.8 09 Raonel 43°13′41″N 3°00′13″E / 43.228013°N 3.003509°E / 43.228013; 3.003509 (Raonel Lock) 8.30
14.2 10 Gua 43°11′29″N 3°00′04″E / 43.191271°N 3.001063°E / 43.191271; 3.001063 (Gua Lock) 6.34
15.3 11 Narbonne 43°11′03″N 3°00′06″E / 43.184116°N 3.001693°E / 43.184116; 3.001693 (Narbonne Lock) 4.24
24.1 12 Mandirac 43°07′19″N 3°01′51″E / 43.122056°N 3.030913°E / 43.122056; 3.030913 (Mandirac Lock) 2.30
28.6 13 Sainte-Lucie 43°02′50″N 3°03′21″E / 43.047141°N 3.055856°E / 43.047141; 3.055856 (Sainte-Lucie Lock) 0.80

A. Depending on the River Aude water level.

Notes

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  1. ^ It is also sometimes referred to as branche de La Nouvelle or embranchement de Port-la-Nouvelle.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Rolt, L. T. C. (1994). From Sea to Sea: An Illustrated History of the Canal du Midi. Grenoble, France: Euromapping (2nd ed.). p. 142. ISBN 9782910185022.
  2. ^ "Le Canal de Jonction et la Robine de Narbonne". canaldumidi.com (in French). Retrieved 2008-11-02.
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