Canal du Nord

The canal du Nord ("North canal") is a canal connecting the Oise River and the canal Dunkirk-Scheldt. The construction was started in 1913, but because of the two world wars, it was finished only in 1961.

The canal du Nord will soon be supplanted by the Seine-Nord waterway, a projected high capacity link between the Oise River at Janville and the high capacity canal system in the North of France. Seine-Nord will replace the old Canal de Saint Quentin and the current Canal du Nord, the capacity of which is far below standards. When the new Seine Nord connection will be ready, it will allow large vessels to transport goods between the Seine river (and the Paris area) and the ports of Dunkerque, Antwerp and Rotterdam, or further into any part of Europe.

History

The Battle of Canal du Nord was an engagement during the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War. It was fought by units of the Canadian Corps (under Arthur Currie) and forces of the German Empire.