North East Portal - Tunnel de Saint-Albin - River Saône - Haute-Saône (70) - France - Canal Tunnels on Waymarking.com

This is the north eastern portal of the Saint-Albin tunnel on the Rupt-sur-Saône lock cut off the River Saône in Haute-Saône (70), France. It is lit throughout and has no towpath. It is controlled by traffic lights as it is only wide enough for a Freycinet barge (5.05m).

In terms of navigable characteristics and standards, the river Saône is divided into two sections:

- Petite Saône from Corre to Auxonne, (150 km)
- Grande Saône, from Auxonne to Lyon (215 km)

As this tunnel is on the upper section aka Petite Saône, the following information is extracted from www.frenchwaterways.com for the Petite Saône:

Although forming part of the important link between the Rhine/Moselle basin and the Rhône, this section of the waterway is completely unspoilt and ideal for cruising. The river winds lazily through charming pastoral landscapes, the longer meanders being bypassed by lengths of canal incorporating standard 38.50m locks. These canal sections cut almost 30km from the natural length of the river (407km from Corre to Lyon). Because the kilometre posts are still in place, the original distances are retained in the route description below (with a note each time the route is suddenly shortened). There are two tunnels: Saint-Albin (PK 48) has a length of 681m, a width at water level of 6.55m and a maximum height of 4.10m, while Seveux-Savoyeux (PK 76) has a length of 643m, width 6.50m and headroom 3.60m. In both cases, the restricted wetted cross-section of the tunnel is retained for some distance beyond each entrance and one-way traffic is enforced, controlled by lights. At certain other locations identified in the distance table passing and overtaking are forbidden. The right-angle junction with the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne is controlled by lights from Heuilley lock (17).

History – The Saône has always been the most navigable of French rivers, with a very gentle gradient and regular flow, albeit subject to floods which can make the broad valley look like an inland sea. The Roman general Vetus envisaged a canal from the Saône to the Moselle. Natural navigability made merchants an easy prey for local lords and tax collectors, and chains were laid across the river in many locations, to collect tolls. Colbert declared them illegal in 1664, but it seemed to Delalande – writing in 1778 – that ‘the easier the navigation, the more its natural advantages have been abused by exactions of all sorts’. Navigability in the industrial era was introduced, as on the other major rivers, after the movable weir was invented by Poirée. By 1847 there were five weirs and locks on the Saône. The canalisation as completed above Auxonne has not changed, while development of the high-capacity waterway downstream meant the replacement of 12 early weirs and locks by only five in the 215?km. The last, at Seurre, was completed in 1980. The entire waterway remains in the national priority network, and may one day be adapted to form the high-capacity Saône-Moselle waterway (Vetus’ dream!)

Is the Tunnel in Use?: In Use Which End is this Entrance?: North East Date Constructed: 01/01/1847 Length of Tunnel: 680 metres Construction Material: Rock lined with stone Associated Website: [Web Link]

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