About the Burgundy Canal
The canal is both historical and monumental. The construction of the Burgundy Canal, which began in 1775, took more than 50 years and changed the surrounding landscape along a route of more than 250 kilometres. Once completed, the rivers Seine and Rhone were joined, and boats could navigate from the north to the south of France.
The project included 189 locks and lock houses, a 3-kilometre-long tunnel, aqueducts, and 6 reservoirs supplying millions of tonnes of water to operate the canal, which are connected to the canal via an intricate network of artificial streams and dykes. Through the decades, the canal was modified and improved, increasing the lock sizes and adding a sophisticated hydro-electric tug which hauled barges through the tunnel.
As you leave the River Yonne and enter the canal at Laroche-Migennes, you’ll head southwards and upstream. Cruising through 116 canal locks and passing through small villages and towns, towards the summit at Pouilly-en-Auxois, your barge will have climbed almost 300 metres in altitude (almost 1 thousand feet). Once at the top of the canal, you have to go through a straight 3-kilometre-long tunnel, which was completed in 1832. From here, your barge will head downstream through 76 more locks and the Burgundian capital city, Dijon, to then join the River Saône at Saint-Jean-de-Losne.
All along the canal, there are medieval castles, ancient abbeys, and fortified towns which remain standing and waiting to be visited, including magnificent UNESCO sites such as Fontenay Abbey and the Hospices de Beaune.
Close to the canal, you have the wines and vineyards of "The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy", another UNESCO World Heritage site in Burgundy, home to some of the world's greatest red and white crus, such as Montrachet, Pommard, and Chambertin, to name but a few, along more than 200 kilometres of vineyards. Nearby wine cellars offer fascinating opportunities for wine tasting.
There are many miles of towpaths along the canal, as well as country lanes and roads perfect for walking and cycling. There are cycling and walking circuits suitable for all levels of enthusiasm and ages; they've been designed to help you explore the surroundings.
The canal also offers some of the best hotel barge cruises and self-drive boat trips in France.
This peaceful, calm destination is perfect for family and friends' holidays.