Canal de l'Ourcq

EuroCanals Guide: Waterways of France
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* Description of all navigable inland waterways in France

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* Through-routes between the English Channel and the Med

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This part of the Canal de l'Ourcq is less than 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the center of Paris.

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Canal de l’Ourcq begins at Bassin de la Villette and continues for 108 km into the woodlands northeast of Paris. The basin was built as the destination for water brought into Paris by the river l’Ourcq, which was canalized for efficient transport of water. The commentators on tour boats tell the story that in 1800 the residents of Paris had access to only 100 liters of water per person per day; the construction of the canal, financed by a tax on wine, brought the supply to 400 liters per day. So the residents of Paris can thank wine for their water.

Nowadays the water is used only for non-potable purposes, such as the daily washdown of streets. The supply of water from l’Ourcq can be supplemented when needed by operating the historic pumping station at Trilbardou, which raises water 12 meters from the Marne River near the city of Meaux (although the Canal de l’Ourcq and the Marne are very close at this point, there is no navigable connection due to the elevation difference and the fact that the canal was built for the transport of water and firewood into the city; boats traveling through to other destinations navigate on the Marne.)