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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Grignon site, located in the commune of Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry, is an emblematic section of the Canal d'Orléans, built in two major phases. Between 1676 and 1678 Robert Mahieu supervised the excavation of the first section, linking Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry to Buges, intended for the transport of wood and coal. This segment includes the grignon bays and locks (Gué des Cens, Milieu and Bas de Grignon), marking the functional origin of the canal. The extension to the Loire, completed between 1681 and 1687, was inaugurated in 1692, allowing intense river traffic between Nantes and Paris (1,500 to 2,000 boats/year).

In 1793, the canal became a national property and was managed by the Orléans and Loing Canals Company (1807–60) before passing under the authority of Ponts et Chaussées in 1863. In the 19th century, Grignon developed as an economic hub: carpentry workshops, cartronage, deposits of materials (cement, iron, coal), and a forge built around 1840. The locks, including that of the Bas de Grignon restored in 2009, illustrate the hydraulic engineering of the period. The decline in river traffic in the 20th century led to the decommissioning of the canal in 1954, before its gradual rehabilitation by the Syndicat Mixte de Gestion (established in 1978).

The site preserves three locks in locks (classified as Historic Monument in 1999), their brick and stone lock houses, and the house of the Canals Directorate, former administrative residence with dovecote. The bays, such as that of the Gué des Cens (1 190 m), bear witness to developments for navigation, with curing and re-service projects (scenario 2020). The Grignon pond, equipped with a return area for boats, and the remains of the forge (project of 1821) recall the past industrial activity, linked to the forest of Orleans and the river trade.

Restoration works, such as those at the Bas de Grignon Lock (2009), include the repair of bajoyers, wooden doors, and radiers, combining traditional techniques (micropious, glue injections) and modern (armed concrete). Tourism projects, such as river stops and the Lake of the Woods campsite, aim to enhance this heritage while preserving its authenticity. The canal, now owned by the state but managed locally, embodies both a technical heritage and a sustainable development issue for the Centre-Val de Loire region.

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