Canal Saint-Martin
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Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.5km long canal in Paris, France.
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[edit] Geography
It stretches from the Square Frédérick Lemaître to the Rue Lafayette and shortcuts a long loop in the River Seine on the eastern side of Paris in the Xe arrondissement.
[edit] History
The canal was opened in 1825 after Napoleon had ordered the artificial waterway dug to supply Paris with water, however by the 1960s, traffic had dwindled to a trickle and the canal narrowly escaped being filled in and paved over for a highway. Today, the canal is covered from Rue du Faubourg du temple to the Bastille.
[edit] Tourism
Today, the canal is a popular destination for Parisians and tourists who watch the barges navigate the series of locks and road bridges. There are also a number of popular restaurants and bars along it. The area is popular with students.
[edit] The canal in fiction
- The canal is featured in the 1938 movie Hôtel du Nord, directed by Marcel Carné.
- The canal is featured in the 2001 movie Amélie, in which Amélie Poulain enjoys skipping stones at the locks of the canal.
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