Distance Markers: Canal des Ardennes

The Canal des Ardennes branches off from the canalised river Meuse (formerly the ‘northern branch of the Canal de l’Est’) at Pont-à-Bar, a short distance upstream from Charleville-Mézières. After crossing the watershed between the rivers Meuse and Aisne it drops down the Aisne valley to connect with the Canal latéral à l’Aisne at Vieux-lès-Asfeld. The distance from the Meuse to the Canal latéral à l’Aisne is 88km. Originally it was 5.5 km longer, entering the Aisne further downstream, but this section was bypassed by the lateral canal in 1841. A 12km long branch leads from Semuy to the small town of Vouziers, further up the Aisne valley. Officially the canal is divided into two lengths, with distances counted separately on the watershed link, from Pont-à-Bar to Semuy, and on the canal following the Aisne valley, from Vouziers to Vieux-lès-Asfeld.

Markers on the Meuse slope

10

Markers on the Aisne slope

14

18

19

20

21

22

38

46