The Canal Saint-Martin celebrates 200 years!
Paris, Dec 26 (EFE). — By Pol Lloberas Cardona
The Canal Saint-Martin, one of Paris’s most distinctive waterways, is marking its 200th anniversary this December, celebrating two centuries as a vital piece of urban infrastructure, a witness to French history and, more recently, a symbol of the city’s cultural revival and social tensions.
Stretching 4.55 kilometers (2.8 miles) through northeastern Paris, the canal connects the Place de la Bastille with the La Villette basin and each year carries around 1,500 boats from more than 20 countries, offering an alternative route beneath the city that combines long underground stretches with shafts of natural light from century-old skylights.
Commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to supply Paris with drinking water, the Canal Saint-Martin was inaugurated in 1825 and transferred to the city in 1861 under Napoleon III. Its evolution has closely mirrored France’s modern history.
Built with the same white stone used for the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, its bridges witnessed key events such as the barricades of the Paris Commune in 1871, while also becoming part of early cinematic and photographic history.
Near what is now Place de la République, the first person ever photographed appeared in the mid-19th century, and the canal’s banks later became a recurring backdrop for French cinema classics such as Hôtel du Nord (1938) and more recent productions like Amélie (2001) and Netflix’s Emily in Paris.
Cinema, memory, and urban identity
This cinematic legacy has inspired the Paris city authorities to rename bridges and footbridges along the canal after actresses.
The most recent tribute was unveiled on Dec. 13 in honor of British-French actress and singer Jane Birkin (1946–2023).
Previous honorees include French actresses Michèle Morgan, Arletty, and Maria Pacôme, as well as Spanish actress María Casares, reinforcing the canal’s cultural symbolism beyond its original utilitarian role.
Everyday life and mixed perceptions Today, the Canal Saint-Martin is both a residential hub and a popular gathering place. “It’s very pleasant, and unlike other parts of Paris, there are still locals here,” said Salomé Muscat, a student who regularly visits the area, in comments to EFE.
She added that she often brings visiting friends because the canal feels “more authentic” than major tourist routes.
Others point to growing challenges. Elena, a travel and food influencer, described the area as “charming” but warned that safety can be an issue, particularly with groups drinking along the canal’s edge.
Guillaume Le Bas, a waiter at the hotel made famous by Hôtel du Nord, said the atmosphere changes noticeably in warmer months. “From May onwards, it’s a different story,” he said, referring to crowding and disorder.
Local café owner Chaim Narang, who has worked by the canal for six years, linked these changes to rising international tourism and broader urban trends.
“Like many cities, we experience waves of gentrification,” he said, citing the impact of recent global events such as the 2024 Olympic Games. “There are good and bad sides. Here, we mostly see the good.”
As Paris reflects on two centuries of the Canal Saint-Martin, the waterway stands as both a historic monument and a living space, shaped by its past and continuously redefined by the city around it. EFE
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