Canal Saint-Martin

Napoleon ordered the canal in 1802 to bring fresh water into a city with a chronic supply problem, and it opened in 1825, later carrying grain, building materials and coal. Its character comes from the engineering: nine locks lift boats over about twenty-five metres, arched iron footbridges cross at intervals, and the southern stretch runs underground for a little over two kilometres beneath Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, covered over in the nineteenth century, with light shafts down to the water. Boat trips run the full length including the tunnel. The banks are closed to traffic on Sundays and fill with people sitting on the edge.

What you actually see

• The iron footbridges - arched crossings over the locks and basins.
• The lock sequence - nine locks raising boats through the city.
• The covered stretch - two kilometres of tunnel with light shafts.
• The Sunday banks - roads closed and the quays given to walkers.

When to go

April to October, and Sundays when the roads alongside close to cars. Boat trips through the tunnel run in season and book up. The canal is drained for cleaning every ten to fifteen years.

Honest expectations

The area is busy and noisy on summer evenings with litter a recurring complaint. Boat trips are slow, around two and a half hours. The underground section is dark with little to see beyond the shafts.

Nearby

Republique lies south; the Bassin de la Villette is north.