Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The lock at Chaoiseau's lock, located on the Canal d'Orléans in Coudroy (Loiret), is a hydraulic structure built in the 17th century and partly rebuilt in the 19th century. Its airlock, measuring 31.70 m long by 5 m wide, was drained via aqueducts integrated with the bajoyers, whose holes in stone vents are still visible. The current swing doors combine wood (top) and metal (bottom) and date back to 1993, while the airlock was restored in 1999. The original lock, built in 1690, was redone in 1823 (upstream head) and 1845 (downstream head), maintaining its system of valves operated by racks.

The lock house, associated with the work, completes this site classified Historic Monument since 1999. The 19th-century reconstructors probably faithfully replicated 17th-century techniques, especially for bajoyers and aqueducts. The wooden doors, replaced in 1993, illustrate the evolution of the materials, while the 1999 restoration aimed to preserve the authenticity of the hydraulic mechanism. The Orléans Canal, of which this lock is part, played a key role in regional river transport before the railway boom.

The listing in the Historical Monuments Inventory in 1999 highlights the heritage value of this ensemble, a witness to the know-how in hydraulic engineering of the 17th and 19th centuries. The GPS coordinates and address (55 Route de Choiseau) allow for the precise location of the site, the map accuracy of which is considered satisfactory (note 7/10). No information is available on possible characters related to its construction or historical maintenance.

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