Bourgogne Canal's underground tunnel

The Bourgogne Canal features an underground tunnel known as "the vault," located in Pouilly-en-Auxois. This tunnel, measuring 3,333 meters, is the highest point of the canal and connects the Seine basin to the Rhône basin.

Construction of the vault

The tunnel was built between 1825 and 1832. To speed up the process, workers dug from 32 shafts instead of just starting from the two ends, reducing the construction time from over 50 years to seven.

Electric winch system

From 1893 to 1987, the canal used an electric winch designed by engineer François-Marie Galliot to move barges through the tunnel. This system replaced an earlier steam winch and operated using electricity generated by two small power plants.

Power source for the winch

The power plants were built in 1893 at the foot of the locks in Pouilly and Escommes. They used waterfalls from the locks to drive turbines connected to Gramme dynamos, a type of electrical generator.

Function of the chain

A chain laid at the bottom of the canal served as a towpath for the winch system. The boats were attached to the chain, and as the winch pulled the chain, the barges moved along the tunnel and open sections of the canal.

Legacy of the winch

The electric winch operated for 94 years, spanning both world wars. It is now displayed in the Winch Hall in Pouilly, designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. The hall opened in August 2004, and the original winch is visible to visitors near the canal.

Touring the vault

Today, visitors can tour the illuminated tunnel by boat, taking about 30 minutes to pass through the vault. The exact length of the towing path may vary slightly from the 5.5 km recorded in historical documents.