The Valois and Orléans families owned a large tract of forest, and in 1560 a plan was devised to carry wood via a system of simple locks.

King Philip II, while establishing the Halles de Paris, a sheltered marketplace, had two fountains built in order to aid construction.

The canals would have the dual purposes of providing shipping channels which avoided the Seine and bringing water to Paris.

The projected confluence would enable easier navigation through the city centre, as the Seine was not yet dammed, and the canal would provide an alternate route.

The city of Paris agreed to purchase land and surrender tolls for 99 years to the firms building the canals (the cost of construction was estimated at 6 million francs).

[3][4] The bassin de la Villette was filled with water on 2 December 1808, and on 15 August 1813 the first boat traveled through the canal.

The monarchy contracted with the Compagnie Vassel et Saint-Didier for 99 years, which allowed the company to collect tolls along the property, but required that the canal be completed and maintained.

[6] Today the canal provides approximately half of the 380,000 cubic metres (500,000 cu yd) daily water requirement for the city's public works.

In February 2005, the Council of Paris launched a study on construction of a proposed port along the Canal de l'Ourcq.

This would be on the widened section from La Villette to Pavillons-sous-Bois (11 km or 6.8 mi) which is navigable by Seine barges carrying up to 900 tonnes.