General Witterings -
Marooned with Rosy in Briare

A Quickie.

Awoke on Christmas morn with the news that anyone thinking of leaving Briare by canal in the near future, or thinking of passing through Briare by canal, had better think again.

There is a large collapsed embankment just north of Montargis, so that's the Briare to the Seine and Paris route closed.

Then the repaired embankment at Chatillion sur Loire, just up the cut from Briare, has also collapsed.  The Laird blames this collapse directly on the VNF, since it was they who employed a female engineer, and, as he says, who has ever met a half decent female engineer.

Anyway, the current estimated date of fixing these problems is April.  I assume they mean April 2003.

Toodle pip!!

Bill

	The stop gates in use on the Pont Canal at Briare This photo shows the stop gates at the Eastern end of the Pont Canal (Aqueduct) at Briare.  The trough was drained just before Christmas in 2002, so the empty trough can be seen, as well as the the watered pound on the far side of the gates.  The rivetted iron trough can be clearly seen, as well as a sluice gate used for emptying the trough.
	View along the Pont Canal at Briare This photo was taken in appalling weather conditions, and shows the Pont Canal (Aqueduct) when the trough was drained.  The aqueduct consists of an iron trough, supported on masonry piers.
	Another photo of the Pont Canal (aqueduct) when it was drained.  The aqueduct is thought to be the longest navigable canal aqueduct in the world, though it will be overtaken by the Elbe crossing (when it finally opens for business).