The Canal du Nord

We were pleased to have found a comfortable berth for Anja in Arras, as we had planned a trip to St Malo to spend a few days with our eldest daughter to celebrate her 40th birthday there. She lives in Guernsey so it was a convenient trip across the Channel for her and her partner. We were able to get there comfortably by train, so we enjoyed two full days in this historic old Town and also visited the seaside town of Dinard. just across the bay.

Back at the boat we returned down the Scarpe Superior. The locks continued to be problematic but the lock- keepers were quick to respond to our calls for help. Turning right to travel south on the Canal du Nord we moved onto a much larger and far better- maintained canal which carries barges up to 1,000 tonnes. This canal is probably the newest we have travelled on; it was started in 1907 but completely destroyed during the First World War and then finally completed in 1965. It has guillotine type gates so we became used to a cascade of water as we went underneath to enter the lock. It was raining anyhow so the forward hand had wet weather gear on, which was very handy.

The tunnel entrance looks very small upon approach

The most remarkable feature of the canal has been the magnificent Ruyalcourt Tunnel, the best tunnel we have been in to date. It is 4354 metres long, one lane (5.70 metres) wide with the one- way traffic flow directed by lights at both ends. There is plenty of head clearance for Anja and lighting is good, fixed to the arch at one side. The most interesting feature is that it has a two- way stretch of about 1km half way into the tunnel so that convoys from each direction can pass each other, so reducing the waiting time at either end. In our case, no- one else was around so instead it provided a bit of a breather for David from the very exacting and accurate steerage required to keep within the narrow channel in the one- way sections.

All alone underground

We have been pleasantly surprised by the Canal du Nord which seemed to have a poor reputation amongst recreational crews as being full of commercial traffic and having dull scenery. Perhaps we were travelling at a convenient time but we found the traffic quite moderate and always respectful and the surrounding countryside was lush and green. From the Canal, we have now turned onto the Somme River, and will rejoin it later to travel South towards the Canal Lateral to the Oise and later Paris.

Best Regards,

Penny and Dave