On July 2 early afternoon we leave the wide rivers and enter the narrow canals.

The first lock of the Canal du Centre is an impressive 33 feet high and as all canal locks only 17 feet wide.

The Canal du Centre is the first canal we are going to pass to reach Paris. The canal links the Saône and Loire valleys. It was build between 1783 and 1793 and helped the development of the coal mines of Blanzy, the forges of Creusot and the various potteries and tile factories built along the way.

The canal was during the 19th und beginning of the 20th century heavily used by commercial barges.