Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
Preserving and respecting the unique character of the Hauts-de-France landscape is a cornerstone of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal project. It aims to create a new landscape that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding area . Conceived as a truly coherent, harmonious, and sustainable landscape creation, the Canal seeks to become a natural part of the local residents' lives and create new, pleasant living spaces for them.
The route of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal was designed taking into account sites of significant landscape value and ensuring the best possible preservation of natural and heritage areas . Ten specific sites are the subject of in-depth consideration regarding landscape integration, including the areas where the Canal meets other canals and rivers, the area around Noyon, the large embankment sections of the Somme, the Somme Canal Bridge, the Tortille valley, the large embankment at Ytres and the area around Marquion.
The Seine-Nord Europe Canal places great importance on the harmonious integration of its engineering structures and locks into the landscape. A unified architectural approach, with identical, understated, and elegant forms and structures, will be applied. The Somme Canal Bridge, in particular, is designed to blend discreetly into its surroundings.
Along the Canal, the plantings will combine grassy, shrubby, and wooded areas to enrich the existing flora and fauna. An eco-design approach to landscape design is also being implemented, including the use of plants adapted to local conditions and the ecological maintenance of outbuildings (differentiated management, eco-grazing).
The calming presence of the water and the landscaping will enhance the quality of life for residents of the nearby towns and villages. The canal banks will be accessible to walkers , pedestrian paths and cycle tracks will be created, and fishing platforms will be installed. Various development projects are being studied with local stakeholders to create new recreational opportunities along the canal. The Somme Canal Bridge will also offer breathtaking views of the valley from the public access roads.
of banks of the Canal accessible to hikers
fishing
for yachting (in Saint-Christ-Briost and Allaines)
completing the tourist offer of the territories
The Seine-Nord Europe Canal Company actively participates in maintaining the timber industry in the Hauts-de-France region. Two calls for projects were launched in 2019 and 2022 for forest owners in the Oise, Somme, Nord, and Pas-de-Calais departments. These projects focus on strengthening wooded areas located within a 10 km radius on either side of the canal route, with the Seine-Nord Europe Canal Company financing the plantings. For their part, the landowners commit to following a sustainable management plan for a period of 15 years.
These two calls for projects resulted in the selection of 22 projects across the 4 departments . In total, 300 hectares will be reforested.
