After nearly 80 years of service, the evolution of barge dimensions rendered the lift obsolete. In 1967, operations were halted: concrete was poured into the pistons to prevent any future use.
That same year, a new lock was inaugurated and took over the traffic flow. It is still in use today. A project to double this lock is currently under discussion.
The Fontinettes Boat Lift
A unique historic monument in France!
A Unique Monument in France
Located in Arques, the Fontinettes Boat Lift is the only boat lift in France. Listed as a historic monument in 2014, it replaced in the 19th century a staircase of five locks, enabling canalized access from the River Aa to the River Lys by overcoming a 13-meter height difference via the Neuffossé Canal, built a century earlier.
It quickly became a key crossing point on the waterway between Dunkirk and Lille.
A Technological Marvel from 1888
Designed for Freycinet-type barges, the boat lift was a true technological revolution at the time of its inauguration in 1888. Using an ingenious balanced hydraulic system, two water-filled caissons counterbalance each other: as one rises, the other descends, greatly accelerating river transport.
The End of an Era
An Interpretation Center to Uncover Its Secrets
At our interpretation center, guided by our mediators, dive into the history of this one-of-a-kind monument in France. Discover the secrets of its operation and the daily life of those who used it: the boatmen.