The river was historically used for flottage, or the floating of rafts of timber from the Morvan forest to serve the needs of the capital, Paris.

[2] It was bypassed as a rafting waterway by the Canal du Nivernais in 1841, from near its source at Corbigny down to Auxerre.

In 1834 the engineer Charles Poirée had successfully tested his design for a needle weir, and this construction technique was adopted on the river Yonne.

The locks were enlarged to Freycinet standards in the late 19th century, then again to their current dimensions after World War II.

[3] The navigable river Yonne extends for 108 km (67 mi), from Auxerre (junction with the Canal du Nivernais) to the confluence with the Seine.