Fonseranes Water Slope

The Fonseranes Water Slope (French: Pente d'eau Fonséranes) is a disused inclined plane on the Canal du Midi parallel to the Fonseranes Lock.

[2] This technique for a water slope was described by the French engineer Jean Aubert[3] in 1961.

[6] The slope, the second and last to be constructed in France, was built between 1980 and 1983 with the intent of augmenting the seven locks at the Fonseranes Locks, allowing larger boats to pass without extensive rework of the existing locks; these would continue to serve smaller boats.

However, within weeks a number of technical problems emerged as oil leaking from the hydraulic system lubricated the concrete tracks and the wheels on the lift were unable to gain sufficient traction to raise the chamber to the top of the slope.

[1] This problem was never satisfactorily resolved and the slope was abandoned officially on 11 April 2001.