Time for Frizztext’s A to Z Challenge…..this week it’s ‘L’
L from my travels could be for London, Leipzig, Lindau, Laon, Lourmarin, Lippizer, Lucca, Locorotondo, Lembach…..
But I’m going for Lutzelbourg in Lorraine (two L’s! – how good does it get!).
Lutzelbourg is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is located on the Marne-Rhine Canal (Wikipedia)
The Marne Rhine canal section through the Vosges Mountains presented quite a challenge to the canal builders. Initially, on the eastern side of the Vosges there was a series of seventeen locks to achieve a climb of about 44metres over a 4km distance. This was replaced in 1969 by the Saint-Louis-Arzviller Plan Incliné (canal barge elevator), greatly reducing journey times, and overcoming the problem of barges passing in the narrow canal. Quite a feat of engineering! And most impressive to watch in action. For more information, Wikipedia has this article.
Alas, I only have a distant view of the Plan Incliné and one of the canal, from a visit in the late nineties.
Marne-Rhine canal
Plan Incliné
But here is a postcard showing the whole thing (image by P Viard, Editions Estel, Blois) :
Postcard Editions Estel – Blois, Plan Incliné
Hop over to Frizz’s blog and see more tagged ‘L’ here
WordsVisual 
Now that’s very clever – a barge elevator!! I bet the narrowboaters on the Kennet and Avon Canal wish there was one of those to replace the 29 locks they have to negotiate!
Lutzelbourg looks a very peaceful place. Jude xx
Very clever…dream on, Kenneth and Avon!
I would love to barge on these canals – I fell in love with France many years ago and its ambiance always beckon me back, again, and again.
I agree, but haven’t been for a few years….next year, perhaps!
You have been to some very interesting places Jo.
Over the years, I have done some interesting journeys and detours, Pommepal…. I think you were commenting on my post Suexx
great INTRO again, Sue: “L … could be for London, Leipzig, Lindau, Laon, Lourmarin, Lippizer, Lucca, Locorotondo, Lembach… But I’m going for Lutzelbourg in Lorraine…”
Thought you’d like the intro….
I love locks, Sue 🙂 Both the type Frizz presented and the canal ones. I’m sure there’s some ingenious other contraption in this country, isn’t there? The Anderton something or other rings a bell. I digress! I’ll have a look at the Wiki link. Thanks, hon 🙂
Ah, the Anderton something or over…think you’re onto something there! 🙂
🙂 Loved the Wiki!
This is it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderton_Boat_Lift
but my husband tells me the Falkirk Wheel is more impressive. Never seen either ‘face to face’.
Ooh, I’ll have to look them up, you’ve piqued my interest!
Hmm, I like the look of the old Anderton…
A barge elevator – what a thing … never heard about before .. sure there is more places around the world that has it.
Oh, since I wrote this post I have found out about couple in the UK!
UK, not at all surprised …