In
May 2004 we have navigated the Canal du Rhône au Rhin during a week.
The Canal du Rhône au Rhin is situated in the east of France and links
the Saône with the Rhine. The canal is taken into use in 1834 and the
length is 236 kilometers. We have done 146 kilometers. We have started
in Mountbéliard which is almost at the summit section of the canal and
we have finished in Dole which is only 18
kilometers far from the point where the canal ends into the river Saône.
We
navigate down continuously and on our way we have passed through 52
locks and 2 tunnels. Our voyage goes on the river Doubs half the time
and the other half is on artificial canal sections. This is why the
Canal du Rhône au Rhin also is called the canalized Doubs.
On
our way we passed through Besançon where the impressive fortress of Vauban
raises almost perpendicular from a meander in the river Doubs.
Our
journey was very varied because of the arrangement of wide river
sections and intimate canal sections.
Afterwards we have been twice in the neighborhood
of the canal, one time in summer and one time in winter. In contrary
with our journey in spring I saw some barges in summer. I followed a
barge to the tunnel and turning point at La
Thoraise. I made these wonderful pictures:
In the winter of 2004 I made some pictures of a
lock in Dole in a snowy landscape.
Canal du Rhône au Rhin
