Need Info on French Canal Closure

[ejlindahl]

Last week there was a lock failure on the canal Ardennes. We can find no information about it and wondered if someone had current info or knew of a good source about current canal closures in France. I could not find anything on the VNF site but my google ** is not very good.

We were planning to go from Givet to Verdun and wonder it this route will be affected. Unfortunately I do not know which specific lock it was. A friend sent us a pic of the lock failure. I'm hoping to find a forum like CF for the Euro/French canals but no luck yet. My wife speaks & reads passable French but we'd prefer an English forum.

Thanks for your help.

[ejlindahl]

Just found this site but there are 2 maps/charts on it and they imply different closure areas. I've sent them an email for clarification. The lock appears to be PK35.8 LOCK 21 NEUVILLE-DAY. We aren't in France yet so we have not bought any charts or e-charts for the area and do not know where this lock is. Still attempting google **.

[CatNewBee]

wow, did not know that houses capsize too...

[ejlindahl]

We've gotten a bit more information and have decided our route, it is not affected by this lock failure. But if anyone is in the area with first hand experience we'd appreciate a reply. Internet is usually spotty on our travels and we may not get back to this thread for a few days.

[Grehan]

Glad to be of assistance!

In our 'Hands On' section we publish - uniquely - 100+ pages of free to view detailed information, km by km, about every navigable French canal and river plus through-routes, regulations and licence information and practical inland boating techniques. Also navigation books, guides, maps and PDF downloads.

We've travelled 10,000km throughout the waterway network since 2003 and we're always pleased to offer advice by email.

www.french-waterways.com

[bil56]

there have been heavy storms and floods in recent weeks in France, you must consult the websites regularly.

[mikecambrai]

If you go to vnf.fr you will see that the lock was blocked on the 12 June and is still blocked. The website is in French but Google translate will deal with the small number of words in the 'chomage' table. Chomage is the french word for a blockage of some sort. If you gather together just a few words of French in a notebook, most of the language on the canals will be on one page of your book. Just build it up as you go.

[Grehan]

The Canal des Ardennes is one of the 'at risk' canals that has been in the firing line for closure due to lack of traffic and general shortage of VNF funds and government subsidies to spread across the network. The catastrophe at écluse 21 may well be terminal, unfortunately.

[ejlindahl]

Thanks all we are monitoring the situation with the sites mentioned. So far dry but some clouds in southern Netherlands the last 2 weeks.