Capestang Bridge Myth

[DBA Forum (WCE) - Michael Walsh]

For a long time there has been a myth that the bridge at Capestang is the lowest or most restrictive on the Canal du Midi. This is misleading, since there are five lower bridges along the canal. I have talked with two people who had designed their wheelhouses to make it under the profile of the bridge at Capestang, only to be stopped at Pont Marengo in Carcassonne. There are likely many more who have suffered similar fates from the myth of the Capestang Bridge.

The following figures are from the Éditions de Breil Guide Fluvial - Canal du Midil:

[u]Bridge[/u]..............[u]Centre Height[/u].......... [u]Height at 5 Metres[/u].............Kilometre

Marengo............3.33 metres..................2.36 metres...................105.1 Carcassonne
La Planque.......3.42 metres..................2.27 metres......................61.0 Castelnaudry
Renneville.........3.48 metres..................2.60 metres.....................43.0 Villefranche-de-Lauragais
Colombiers........3.50 metres..................2.85 metres...................200.3 Colombiers
Sanglier .............3.57 metres..................2.30 metres.....................29.5 Ayguesvives
Capestang.........3.60 metres..................2.60 metres...................188.3 Capestang

On the VNF site is this entry about the Canal du Midi:
[quote]Le Pont Marengo à Carcassonne (face à la Gare SNCF) a le tirant d’air le plus contraignant : 3,30 m dans l’axe de navigation.et 2.36 m au gabarit de 5,5m de largeur.
.. which translates to:
Pont Marengo in Carcassonne, across from the train station, has the most restrictive air draft on the Canal du Midi at 3,30 metres in the centre of the arch and 2.36 metres at 5.5 metres width.[/quote]

[DBA Forum (WCE) - David Almond]

Your point could well be valid but do be careful with Breil. For talking of myths, unless it has changed very recently, despite representations, Breil still list a bridge on the Nivernais at 2.7m when that is in fact the height from the towpath. In my experience most boats cunningly cruise on the canal half a metre lower down, getting themselves better headroom. Breil won’t change it until the VNF do so sadly many people still don’t cruise the beautiful Nivernais for that very reason.

David

Post by DBA Forum (WCE) - Michael Walsh
For a long time there has been a myth that the bridge at Capestang is the lowest or most restrictive on the Canal du Midi. This is misleading, since there are five lower bridges along the canal. I have talked with two people who had designed their wheelhouses to make it under the profile of the bridge at Capestang, only to be stopped at Pont Marengo in Carcassonne. There are likely many more who have suffered similar fates from the myth of the Capestang Bridge.
[u]Bridge[/u]..............[u]Centre Height[/u].......... [u]Height at 5 Metres[/u].............Kilometre
Marengo............3.33 metres..................2.36 metres...................105.1 Carcassonne
La Planque.......3.42 metres..................2.27 metres......................61.0 Castelnaudry
Renneville.........3.48 metres..................2.60 metres.....................43.0 Villefranche-de-Lauragais
Colombiers........3.50 metres..................2.85 metres...................200.3 Colombiers
Sanglier .............3.57 metres..................2.30 metres.....................29.5 Ayguesvives
Capestang.........3.60 metres..................2.60 metres...................188.3 Capestang
[quote]Le Pont Marengo à Carcassonne (face à la Gare SNCF) a le tirant d’air le plus contraignant : 3,30 m dans l’axe de navigation.et 2.36 m au gabarit de 5,5m de largeur.
Pont Marengo in Carcassonne, across from the train station, has the most restrictive air draft on the Canal du Midi at 3,30 metres in the centre of the arch and 2.36 metres at 5.5 metres width.[/quote]

[DBA Forum (WCE) - Peter Cawson]

And for most curved bridges, neither the Centre Height nor the Height at 5 m would be particularly useful for 90% of barges. I'm not sure the width of the wheelhouse / saloon roof (or whatever the heighest point is) on most boats, but I'm sure it's not 5 m. Perhaps a height at 3.5 m would be a better indication of whether barges could pass.

Peter