“Quench Marseille’s thirst” was the motto. It drove the creation of this, the Promenade du canal.
Here, along the Promenade du canal, begins a tale of engineering and survival. It’s a story etched in every drop of water that flows through Marseille. This canal, a major source of drinking water, stretches 80 kilometers. It features an additional 160 kilometers of smaller arteries.
Imagine Marseille in the 1830s. The city was parched. The Huveaune River, its primary water source, dwindled to a trickle. Just one liter per person per day. Disease ran rampant. Cholera claimed thousands of lives. The elected officials knew they had to act fast.
Maximin-Dominica Consolat, the city’s mayor, declared to improve conditions. “No matter what it costs” he said. The solution was ambitious. Divert water from the Durance River. It was far away and separated from the city by mountains.
Engineer Franz Mayor de Montricher took on the challenge. His plan involved capturing water high up the Durance. Gravity would feed it through tunnels and over bridges. Finally, it would arrive in Marseille at the highest point of the city.
Construction began in 1839. It lasted 15 long years. Workers carved 17 kilometers of tunnels and erected 18 bridges. One major hurdle was the Arc valley. Montricher built the Roquefavour Aqueduct. It was inspired by the Roman Pont du Gard.
On July 8, 1849, the canal began to function. It became functional on July 8, 1849. Water flowed into Marseille. Citizens rejoiced. The canal provided 370 liters for domestic use. It also provided 660 liters for industrial activities daily.
The Promenade du canal isn’t just a waterway. It’s a testament to human ingenuity. It demonstrates the will to overcome adversity. It is a reminder of the vital role water plays in our lives. The Canal de Marseille starts at the Pertuis Bridge in the Vaucluse. It lies at an elevation of 185 meters. This is 50 kilometers from Marseille. The canal travels west to Lew Puy-Sainte-Réparade. Then, it goes northwest to Saint-Estève-Janson.
In 1966, the Canal EDF de la Durance went into service. Since then, water enters the canal at the hydroelectric station. This is northwest of Saint-Estève-Janson. The canal continues to the southern end of the Cadenet bridge. Here, it feeds the Retenue d’eau de Saint-Christophe.
The route clings to the hills. It passes above La Roque-d’Anthéron and Charleval. Then, it exits the Durance valley and EDF. It uses a 3.7 km tunnel under the Chaîne des Côtes hills. The canal emerges west of Lambesc. Its path becomes more complex. Bridges and tunnels are needed to travel the valleys to Coudoux. The canal goes around the hill of Ventabren. It comes to the River Arc. Here, it enters the Roquefavour Aqueduct.
From the aqueduct, the canal heads south. It passes through tunnels and feeds the Réservoir du Réaltor. This is a settling basin that clarifies the water. Then, it enters a tunnel south under the Arbois plain. Briefly emerging, it passes through a treatment plant at Les Giraudets. A second tunnel heads southeast. It emerges at La Sevine.
The canal splits into smaller canals. One branch goes around the eastern side of Marseille. It turns south, then west. It ends at the Mediterranean at Mont Rose. The canal is no longer the sole water source for Marseille. The Canal de Provence was built in the 1970s. It brings water from the Verdon River. Both sources are connected. The water is treated at Sainte-Marthe and Saint-Barnabé. The main operations are pre-chlorination and clarification. Sand filtration and disinfection are also used.
The canal is a picturesque route through Provence. It features bicycle and walking paths. Notable sites include the aqueduc de Roquefavour and the palais Longchamp.