The Nantes-Brest Canal
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The Nantes-Brest Canal A Guide for Boaters in Finistère Welcome to the Nantes-Brest Canal With nearly 100km of waterway punctuated by 46 locks, the Nantes-Brest Canal offers you an exceptional passage through nature in the heart of Finistère. Within Finistère, the canal harnesses the water-courses of the Aulne, the Hyères and the Kergoat. Since 1996 the Department of Finistère has • The eastern section, 80km in length, managed the canal in Finistère with the help of stretches between Châteaulin and the Côtes the Syndicat mixte d’aménagement touristique d’Armor border. It belongs to the State, de l’Aulne et de l’Hyères (SMATAH). Part of the which has granted the management to the public waterways system, the canal is divided Department of Finistère since 1966. In this into two sections in this department. section, the Department has been working on the development of a cycle-route on the • The western section, 22km in length, runs towpath between Carhaix and Châteaulin since between Rosnoën and Châteaulin. It is owned 2012. by Brittany’s regional government, which has granted the management to the Department of The provisions presented in this booklet are for Finistère since 1990. In this sector in 2006, the the purpose of information. Boaters are encou- Department constructed the mobile barrage raged to familiarize themselves with the full text of Guily-Glaz as part of anti-flood measures for of the prefectorial decree N°2014-239-0001 of the communes of Châteaulin and Port Launay. August 27th 2014, which is available at Lock It is also in charge of the technical functioning Guily-Glaz or for download from the Department of the canal. of Finistère’s website. 2 The Nantes-Brest Canal HISTORY OF THE CANAL cut channels (Bout de Bois: 19,83m, Hilvern: 128,71m, Tranchée de Glomel: 183,85m) and In 1538 the Parliament of Brittany decided to create 237 locks for a total length of 360kms… make the Vilaine navigable from Rennes to Spanish prisoners of war, army deserters and Messac, allowing the first fluvial link from the prisoners from the gaol in Brest, peasants, Breton capital to Redon from 1585 and on to women and children slaved for years over all the Bay of Biscay by the tidal Vilaine. It was this. The Nantes-Brest Canal was completed for not until 1783 when a Commission of Interior through navigation in 1842. Navigation was established that the earliest projects for navigation between Nantes and Breton boatmen exploited the commercial po- Brest began. tential of this waterway with the transport of merchandise within the region. The building of Construction work on the canal started in 1804 roads and development of the railway were to under the Empire for strategic reasons, with mark the decline of transport via the canal. The the renewal of hostilities with England and the construction of the hydro-electric dam at Guer- Continental blockade. The superiority of the lédan during the 1930s separated the sections English fleet on the high seas forced Napoleon in Finistère and Côtes d’Armor from the rest of 1st to ensure that the arsenals of Brest and the network. Lorient were supplied by an internal waterway, linked with the Loire via Nantes. The canal seemed doomed, but during the last twenty years its appeal for tourism has provi- Works on a Herculean scale were required ded a new economic, social and environmental to join four river basins (Loire, Vilaine, Blavet, energy. Aulne), eight rivers (Erdre, Isac, Oust, Blavet, Kergoat, Dore, Hyères, Aulne), construct three 3 Usages liés au canal de Nantes à Brest (section nistérienne) Club nautique Voies cyclables Capacité d'accueil touristique Location uviale Sentiers de randonnées (GR® et PR®) Nombre de lits touristiques par communes inscrits au Plan départemental des Prise d'eau pour l'alimentation itinéraires de promenades et de randonnées 100 à 200 en eau potable Route départementale 200 à 500 Écluse/nom des écluses Route nationale 500 à 1000 Canal de Nantes à Brest accessible Practices related to the Nantes-Brest Canalà la plaisance uviale en Finistère Limite communale 1000 à 1667 N 0 10 20 km PONT-DE-BUIS- Tréziguion Lesnévez Coz Castel Kervouledic Coat Pont Stervalen Le Pellerm LES-QUIMERCH Rozvéguen Pont Trien Lothey Stéréon Pénity Roc'h Kaer Le Guillec Nénez L'île ROSNOEN Guili Glaz Prat Pouric Meros Coat Pont Rosily Voaquer CARHAIX-PLOUGUER SAINT-SEGAL Stéréon Goariva PLEYBEN LANDELEAU PLONEVEZ- PORT-LAUNAY CLEDEN-POHER DU-FAOU DINEAULT Moustoir Bizernic CHATEAULIN Châteauneuf Kersalic LLEENNNNOONN CHATEAUNEUF- DU-FAOU MOTREFF SAINT-COULITZ LOTHEY SAINT-HERNIN Prat ar Born GOUEZEC SPEZET Kergoutois Châteaulin Pont d'Aulvas Coatigrac'h Pont ar Bros Toul ar Rodo SSAAIINNTT--TTHHOOIISS Kergaden Prat Hir Saint Algon Kerdugnes Aulne Le Guillec SAINT-GOAZEC Vuzid Boudrac'h Kergoat Trés iguidi Aulne LAZ 0 2 4 km Kerbaoure Lanneur Roz ar Gaouen Le Stêr Kerglo < Distance and difference in level between locks Elevation 4 Usages liés au canal de Nantes à Brest (section nistérienne) Club nautique Voies cyclables Capacité d'accueil touristique Location uviale Sentiers de randonnées (GR® et PR®) Nombre de lits touristiques par communes inscrits au Plan départemental des Prise d'eau pour l'alimentation itinéraires de promenades et de randonnées 100 à 200 en eau potable Route départementale 200 à 500 Écluse/nom des écluses Route nationale 500 à 1000 Canal de Nantes à Brest accessible à la plaisance uviale en Finistère(Finistère Lsector)imite communale 1000 à 1667 N 0 10 20 km PONT-DE-BUIS- Tréziguion Lesnévez Coz Castel Kervouledic Coat Pont Stervalen Le Pellerm LES-QUIMERCH Rozvéguen Pont Trien Lothey Stéréon Pénity Roc'h Kaer Le Guillec Nénez L'île ROSNOEN Guili Glaz Prat Pouric Meros Coat Pont Rosily Voaquer CARHAIX-PLOUGUER SAINT-SEGAL Stéréon Goariva PLEYBEN LANDELEAU PLONEVEZ- PORT-LAUNAY CLEDEN-POHER DU-FAOU DINEAULT Moustoir Bizernic CHATEAULIN Châteauneuf Kersalic LLEENNNNOONN CHATEAUNEUF- DU-FAOU MOTREFF SAINT-COULITZ LOTHEY SAINT-HERNIN Prat ar Born GOUEZEC SPEZET Kergoutois Châteaulin Pont d'Aulvas Coatigrac'h Pont ar Bros Toul ar Rodo SSAAIINNTT--TTHHOOIISS Usages liés au canal de NaKnergtadeen s à Brest Prat Hir Saint Algon Kerdugnes Aulne Le Guillec SAINT-GOAZEC Vuzid Boudrac'h Kergoat Trés iguidi Aulne LAZ 0 2 4 km Kerbaoure (Lasnneurction Ro z anr GaisouentérieLne Stnêr e) Kerglo NauticalYacht club club CycleBicycle routes path TouristTourism welcome accomodation capacity capacity Boat rental hire Footpaths (GR® and PR®) registered in the Hicking trails (GR® et PR®) Departmental Plan for walking and hiking routes 100100 toà 2 20000 WaterDrinking supply water pointintake DepartmentalCountry road highway 200200 toà 5 50000 Locks/NamesLock / Lock's name of locks NationalHighway highway 500500 toà 1 0100000 Accessibility of Nantes-Brest The Nantes-Brest Canal Commune boundary Canal for pleasure-boating Municpal boundary 10001000 àto 1 6166767 N 0 10 20 km PONT-DE-BUIS- Tréziguion Lesnévez Coz Castel Kervouledic Coat Pont Sterva5len Le Pellerm LES-QUIMERCH Rozvéguen Pont Trien Lothey Stéréon Pénity Roc'h Kaer Le Guillec Nénez L'île ROSNOEN Guili Glaz Prat Pouric Meros Coat Pont Rosily Voaquer CARHAIX-PLOUGUER SAINT-SEGAL Stéréon Goariva PLEYBEN LANDELEAU PLONEVEZ- PORT-LAUNAY CLEDEN-POHER DU-FAOU DINEAULT Moustoir Bizernic CHATEAULIN Châteauneuf Kersalic LLEENNNNOONN CHATEAUNEUF- DU-FAOU MOTREFF SAINT-COULITZ LOTHEY SAINT-HERNIN Prat ar Born GOUEZEC SPEZET Kergoutois Châteaulin Pont d'Aulvas Coatigrac'h Pont ar Bros Toul ar Rodo SSAAIINNTT--TTHHOOIISS Kergaden Prat Hir Saint Algon Kerdugnes Aulne Le Guillec SAINT-GOAZEC Vuzid Boudrac'h Kergoat Trés iguidi Aulne LAZ 0 2 4 km Kerbaoure Lanneur Roz ar Gaouen Le Stêr Kerglo Boating on the Canal The Nantes-Brest canal has been entirely navigable since 2006 thanks to the restoration of locks undertaken by the Department of Finistère and SMATAH. Today all the locks are operational and all boats with a draught of less than 1m can traverse the entire length in Finistère. Boats with a draught between 1m and 2.7m can only sail the reach of Guily-Glaz. • Reduce the speed of the boat in passing PLEASE NOTE moored boats and anglers, and during crossing with another boat. Boats with a draught of more than 0.8m must be equipped with a depth sounder to sail securely on the canal. INFORMATION FOR SMOOTH NAVIGATION • Navigation on the canal is unsupervised. INSTRUCTIONS TO ENSURE A WORRY- There is no toll or other tax to pay for sailing. FREE CRUISE • The practice of motorised water-sports, no- tably motor-boating and water-skiing, is for- • Do not exceed the maximum canal speed bidden. limit of 6km/h, reduced to 4km/h in the • All boaters on the canal must be in posses- access channels of locks. sion of a recreational inland navigation per- • Respect the navigation channel on the towpath mit corresponding to their craft. side at a distance of 5-10m from the bank. • Periods of closure to navigation for mainte- • Sail on the starboard side of the channel. nance and canal restoration work are de- • Wear a safety jacket during manoeuvres at a tailed by canal transport notices which can be lock and when boarding. During navigation it consulted at Lock Guily-Glaz and in town halls is not compulsory to wear a safety jacket, but of communes along the canal, as well as on strongly recommended for the boat-master the websites of the Department and SMATAH. and crew. (See links, page 22) 6 • All repairs and refurbishment of boats on pu- blic waterways are forbidden. PASSING THROUGH A LOCK What is a lock? A lock is a basic device to enable boats to To pass through the lock at Guily-Glaz circulate on the canal as it allows them to pass From Brest, the first lock is located in the between two stretches of water on different commune of Port-Launay at Guily-Glaz.