The Canal and the landscapes

Preserving and respecting the identity of the Hauts-de-France landscapes is a cornerstone of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal project. He takes care of create a new landscape setting that is one with the territory crossed. Designed as a real landscape creation, coherent, harmonious and durable, the Canal wishes to fit naturally in the living environment of the inhabitants and create for them new pleasant living spaces.

In-depth study and integration work

The route of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal was designed taking into account sites with major landscape challenges and ensuring the best preservation of natural and heritage spaces. Ten specific sites are the subject of in-depth reflection on landscape integration, in particular the areas where the Canal meets the other canals and rivers, the surroundings of Noyon, the sectors of large embankments of the Somme, the Pont-Canal de la Somme, the Tortille valley, the great rubble of Ytres and the surroundings of Marquion.

An architectural project that creates pride for the inhabitants

The Seine-Nord Europe Canal attaches great importance to the harmonious integration of its structures and locks into the landscape. A unitary architectural treatment, with identical shapes and structures, sober and elegant, will be applied. The Somme Canal Bridge is designed to fit discreetly into its environment.

Plantations inspired by existing vegetation

Along the banks of the Canal, the plantations will combine herbaceous, shrubby and wooded areas to enrich the existing flora and the fauna it hosts. A landscape eco-design approach is also carried out with, in particular, the use of plants adapted to local conditions and the ecological maintenance of outbuildings (differentiated management, eco-grazing).

Pleasant places to live

The soothing presence of water and the landscaping will enhance the living environment of the inhabitants of the towns and villages located nearby. THE banks of the Canal will be accessible to walkers, pedestrian paths and cycle paths will be created, fishing pontoons will be installed… Various development projects are being studied with local players to create new hobbies along the Canal. The Somme Canal Bridge will also offer stunning views on the valley, from the service roads accessible to the public.

The Canal and the ecological transition

The Canal and biodiversity

The Canal and the water

In numbers

More than 200 km

of banks of the Canal accessible to hikers

20 pontoons

fishing

2 equipment

for yachting (in Saint-Christ-Briost and Allaines)

3 locks that can be visited

completing the tourist offer of the territories

Calls for reforestation projects

The Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe actively participates in maintaining the wood industry in Hauts-de-France. Two calls for projects were launched in 2019 et 2022 with forest owners in Oise, Somme, Nord and Pas-de-Calais. They relate to the reinforcement of wooded plots located within a perimeter of 10 km on either side of the route, with financing of the plantations by the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe. For their part, the owners undertake to follow a sustainable management plan over a period of 15 years.

These two calls for projects made it possible to retain 22 projects in the 4 departments. In total, 300 hectares will be reforested.