"Save Locks - Build a Tunnel thru' the Hill" Niderviller by pedroswift

Niderviller Travel Guide: 0 reviews and 6 photos

VT Flag !! remote location - Niderviller

Niderviller Canal Tunnel

It is remote. There are no people in the shot. Access is denied to walkers, cyclists, canoeists and motorist. The only way to get a Virtual Tourist Flag there is in your motor boat.

there is light at the end of the tunnel! to left of VT Flag.

At the top of the Canal de la Marne-au-Rhin, in North Eastern France 50 kms north west of Strasbourg, a couple of tunnels cut through the hills have saved constructing numerous locks to get boats over the hill top.

The photo above is taken inside the 470m Niderviller Tunnel by crew person A.T. Your scribe is busy steering the boat.

Two tunnels: Niderviller and the Arzviller Tunnel of 2306 metres length plus the Arzviller inclined-plane boat lift make for an interesting days voyage by canal cruiser.

Saint-Louis-Arzviller Inclined Plane

click to enlarge - Two boats halfway up the hill

By stowing boats in a giant bath-tub and then pushing the tub 136 metres sideways up and down the hill, a chain of 17 locks spread over 4 kilometres of canal has been made redundant. The vertical lift/fall is 44.5 metres. The savings in water which otherwise is lost in the multi-lock system is worth the engineering required in the lift.

Read More

Pros and Cons

Pros:Worth a stop on a road trip to check out the boats
Cons:nothing to report
In a nutshell:interesting engineering solution to sailing uphill

Last visit to Niderviller: Jun 2010
Intro Updated Apr 15, 2012
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Travelogues (1)

Written Jan 11, 2012

4 photos

Niderviller Boat Stop

1 - 1 of 1

Comments (2)

Reply
- Report abuse
glabah Mar 19, 2011 at 11:13 PM

I've heard of some huge incline lock lifts like these operate in Russia somewhere, but are very difficult to get to.
Reply
- Report abuse
aussirose Mar 19, 2011 at 9:49 PM

Gee! That's pretty amazing mate! The pic of the boats being transported up the mountain is awesome! Very interesting :o) What a great 'solo' page!! Hugs xx