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La Nantes Brest Canal
HISTORIC DU LE CANALS


Under Bonaparte, the "States" of Brittany's long time desire was finally realized: a canal which linked the Loire to the harbour at Brest without passing through the Ocean. During 38 long years, workmen built 236 locks which permitted the crossing of an elevation of 555 meters. Eight waterways were canalized to feed into the larger canal, or were reconstructed to make them navigable, which gave Brittany its very surprising amount of navigable waters. The workers, sometimes peasants, often prisoners of war, created 360 kilometres of waterway and 325 locks spanning five departments.






From freight to pleasure craft

It is a lane trimmed with hundred-year-old trees that impassively reflect off smooth rivers. Vivid water runs along the banks crossing granite villages on its way, and flowing past ancient abbeys and medieval strongholds, sites that have retained many tracks of their past. This green garden of Eden, free of all car traffic, exhales the perfumes of wild flowers and woods all through the seasons. Today, as in the past times of its splendour, the mythical canal from Nantes to Brest immutably follows its green lane of historical wealth and beautiful landscapes to be rediscovered, after several centuries of oblivion, by those who seek nature and authenticity.


The Breton river network



Today, Breton rivers and canals constitute a network of more than 600 km of navigable waterways reserved for leisure activities and boating. There are two main routes.

- The English Channel-Ocean link: running north-south and comprising the maritime Rance, the Ille–et-Rance canal, the canalised section of the river Vilaine and the maritime Vilaine, which in turn runs through Dinan, Rennes, Redon and Roche-Bernard.

- The Nantes-Brest canal: covering 360 km and running from east-west along in turn the Erdre, the Isac, the Oust, and the Aulne. On leaving Lorient, a cruise along the Blavet, the eastern section of the Nantes-Brest canal and the Erdre allows exploring Josselin and Redon before reaching Nantes. From the far point of the Brest roadways, it is possible to travel up the Aulne and the western section of the Nantes-Brest canal to Châteaulin and Carhaix-Plouguer. Between Pontivy and Hennebont, the Blavet canal joins the Nantes-Brest canal at Guerlédan. The lake at Guerlédan is a huge expanse of water 12 kms long, where various nautical sports are practised. Beaches and banks have been constructed along the lake leading to the Nantes-Brestcanal.