The Garonne canal: key statistics
Width: 18 metres.
Total length: 193 km 10.5 km (Montauban branch)
Number of locks: 53 11 (Montauban branch). Except for the five locks at Montech with its famous water slope built in 1974, all the locks measure 40.5 long by 6 metres wide. Those at Montech kept the old size of 30 metres
Water drop: 128 metres
Head height beneath the structure: 3.60 metres
There are 83 suspension bridges along the canal; all of them were rebuilt in 1933 to accommodate modern navigational needs.
History
Although its inauguration was in 1856, the Garonne canal had been a potential project since the days of the roman emperors Nero and Augustus Caesar! Before it was built, the only route between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic was along the Spanish coast via the Straits of Gibraltar, a lengthy and dangerous journey of more than 3000 kilometres, with the risk of storms and pirate attacks along the Barbary Coast.
The greatest problem, like the Midi canal, was the water supply, as it needs to receive sufficient water to enable continuous passage. It derives its water supply from the river Garonne, at Toulouse and Agen.
In 1844, the section Toulouse - Montech - Montauban was opened. The canal was accessible for upstream traffic from Buzet-sur-Baïse in 1853 and finished in 1856, at the same time as the railroad Bordeaux-Sète on the same axis. Faster and more economical, the railway took virtually all the canal’s trade despite the fact that, until the 1970s, the function of the “Canal adjacent to the Garonne” (its name until quite recently) was to transport goods.
Today it is dedicated solely to river tourism in exceptional surroundings with the boats on the river numbering 450 in contrast to 12 in 1970.
Remarkable technical installations
Canal bridges: a total of seven bridges allow the canal to negotiate the Garonne and its tributaries.
The Cacor canal bridge, built in 1867 at Moissac, allows boats on the Garonne canal to navigate above the Tarn. It has 15 magnificent arches supported by 14 pillars of Quercy stone and Toulouse pink brick and measures 356 by 8.35 metres but as the actual navigable width is limited to 4.2 metres, only single passage is possible.
The water slope at Montech, an experimental installation quite unique, is a boat lift in service since July 1974. It replaces 5 canal locks, now only used by pleasure boats, and is intended for boats of 30 to 40 metres long, allowing them to ascend or descend in 20 minutes.
Ports
To sail in such calm, shady and enchanting surroundings is indeed a delight and a privilege. But getting off the boat is another…allowing one to explore the very heart of the history of Tarn and Garonne, discovering on foot the treasures left to us by our ancestors.
Golfech: the church of Saint-Louis built in the middle ages and rebuilt in 1865. The nuclear power station.
Valence d’Agen: the public wash house of Saint-Bernard, built in 1807 as a cattle trough and also used by the Imperial horse guard. The delightful semicircular roof was added at the request of the washerwomen to protect them from the vagaries of the weather!
Malause: washhouses, churches of "Sainte Rose" and "Saint Jean".
Moissac the abbey, founded in the 7 th century, is one of the most beautiful architectural structures in France. In the twelfth century it became the most eminent monastery in south-west France. Its cloister and southern tympanum, listed as a world heritage site, are marvels of Romanesque (Norman) sculpture on the route Saint-Jacques de Compostelle.
Castelsarrasin : the church of Saint-Sauveur, mentioned as early as the 10 th century, was rebuilt in 1254 ; the church of Saint-Jean, mentioned in the 13 th century, and rebuilt in 1515 ; the Notre-Dame d’Alem chapel, built in the 13 th century, destroyed and rebuilt three times.
Montech : water slope ; 14th century church, Notre-Dame de la Visitation.
Grisolles : the metal market hall, in the style of Baltard 1894, the church of Saint-Martin and the Théodore CALBET museum which houses Gallo-roman mosaics and remains.
Montauban : the county town of Tarn-et-Garonne, nine centuries old, is built of pink brick and offers the casual stroller visual delights such as the Place Nationale with its splendid arcades and surrounding old streets (now a pedestrian precinct), the view of the former 17 th century Episcopal or Bishop’s Palace from the Pont-Vieux (old bridge) and the François-Mitterrand rose-garden.
It is a town which is witness to a rich and eventful history yet has managed to keep its identity whilst renovating its architectural heritage, such as the church of Saint-Jacques, the Ingres Museum, the Notre-Dame cathedral or the sculptures by Antoine Bourdelle scattered around the town,
Navigable waterways in the southwest « Le site du réseau des voies navigables dans le sud-Ouest (vnf) » :
http://www.sn-sud-ouest.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/...
Cyclepaths and green routes in Tarn and Garonne
Cyclepaths are routes of mid or long distance on byroads with light traffic or, wherever possible, Green Routes reserved solely for cyclists.
Green Routes are cycle paths with no motorised traffic and are often along towpaths, riverbanks, disused rail tracks, forest and coastal paths or in town parks.
They are only to be used by pedestrians, cyclists, roller-skaters, joggers, the differently-abled and people on horseback…
The Cyclepath and green route in Tarn and Garonne follows the Garonne canal from Montech to Pont de la Pelle at Lamagistère for 49 kilometres. It is an ambitious project aiming to eventually run along the whole length of the towpath to form the "Two seas green route" crossing the department for a distance of 70 kilometres, as well as the Montech canal!
The route is wonderful, shaded by plane trees, going through the heart of Moissac as well as the towns of Montech, Castelsarrasin and Valence d’Agen.