Editing Transport in France (section)

== Waterways and canals ==
[[File:Peniche (1).jpg|right|thumb|172x172px|Barge on the [[Canal Saint-Denis]]]]

The French natural and man-made waterways network is the largest in Europe<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/content.vnf?action=content&occ_id=4550 |title=Waterways development |access-date=2008-10-29 |work=VNF }}</ref> extending to over {{convert|8500|km}} of which ('''VNF''', {{langx|en|Navigable Waterways of France}}), the French [[navigation authority]], manages the navigable sections. Some of the navigable rivers include the [[Loire (river)|Loire]], [[Seine]] and [[Rhone|Rhône]]. The assets managed by VNF comprise {{convert|6700|km}} of waterways, made up of {{convert|3800|km}} of [[canal]]s and {{convert|2900|km}} of navigable [[river]]s, 494 [[dam]]s, 1595 [[Lock (water transport)|locks]], 74 [[navigable aqueduct]]s, 65 [[reservoir]]s, 35 [[tunnel]]s and a land area of {{convert|800|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/img/cms/Tourisme_et_domainehidden/plaquette_200802041720.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120040233/http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/img/cms/Tourisme_et_domainehidden/plaquette_200802041720.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-11-20 |title=Presentation complete |access-date=2008-10-29 |work=VNF |language=fr }}</ref> Two significant waterways not under VNF's control are the navigable sections of the [[Somme (river)|River Somme]] and the [[Nantes-Brest canal|Brittany Canals]], which are both under local management.

Approximately 20% of the network is suitable for commercial boats of over 1000&nbsp;[[tonne]]s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/faq.vnf?action=byType&type=missions |title=Questions and Answers |access-date=2008-10-29 |work=VNF }}</ref> and the VNF has an ongoing programme of maintenance and modernisation to increase depth of waterways, widths of locks and headroom under bridges to support France's strategy of encouraging freight onto water.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081120040233/http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/img/cms/Tourisme_et_domainehidden/plaquette_200802041720.pdf Voies navigables de France: conjuguer économie et écologie]. Retrieved 19 February 2009.</ref>