Drought Halts Navigation on the Burgundy Canal and the Canal Lateral a la Loire

Dijon - 04 August 2026: The persistent drought has brought navigation on two major waterways in central France to a halt. The Burgundy Canal and the Canal Lateral a la Loire are closed to traffic. This is according to a status update from the state waterway authority Voies navigables de France (VNF), most recently updated on 31 July. The authority cites several consecutive heatwaves and increasing pressure on available water reserves as the cause.According to VNF, water volumes are no longer sufficient to maintain the operation of locks and canal ...