[1] The canal is drained and cleaned every 10–15 years, and it is always a source of fascination for Parisians to discover curiosities and even some treasures among the hundreds of tons of discarded objects.

Gaspard de Chabrol, prefect of Paris, proposed building a canal from the river Ourcq, 100 km northeast of Paris, to supply the city with fresh water to support a growing population and help avoid diseases such as dysentery and cholera, while also supplying fountains (including the monumental Elephant of the Bastille) and allowing the streets to be cleaned.

Others watch the barges and other boats navigate the series of locks and pass under the attractive cast-iron footbridges.

The canal can be accessed from the following Paris Métro stations: Stalingrad, République, Goncourt, Jacques Bonsergent, Jaurès.

In the present day, many intricate works of graffiti are visible along the canal, and there is a large multimedia art space on its banks at the former municipal undertakers building at 104 rue d'Aubervilliers ('104').