Length 25 km (16 mi) Date approved 1806 Construction began 1819 | Principal engineer Augustin Honnorez Date completed 1820 | |
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Start point At Douai, connects to Scarpe supérieure, Scarpe inférieure, and Deûle End point L'Escaut and Canal de Saint-Quentin in Cambrai Current owner Voies navigables de France | ||
The Canal de la Sensée is a project that was developed under Napoleon. In March 1806, the imperial government gave orders to build a canal which would link the Scarpe River and the Escaut River (German: Scheldt). The work was commenced under the direction of Augustin Honnorez in June 1819 and the Sensée canal was opened to navigation in November 1820. (Although it is said that the channel of the Sensée was dug by English prisoners of war, although this could not have been the case, being started some years after 1815). At that time the boats were pulled by men or horses working for boat employers. Shortly after World War I 1914-1918, horses were replaced by tractors.
Map of Canal de la Sens%C3%A9e, France
The Canal de la Sensée forms one section of the Canal Dunkerque-Escaut route.