The Nivernais Canal, a magnificent hydraulic machine shaped by man over the course of time, holds a strategic place in the heart of the Nièvre. Born of a common desire to supply Paris with firewood, the canal has developed over the course of its history of water, a landscape of its own, dug deep into the soil of the Nivernais region. His isolation has preserved him and created around him an original world where time seems to stand still.

The potential for discovery and opening up of the canal to its external landscape, its territory, is multiple but fragile. The canal has an important and original heritage that should be preserved and enhanced while respecting the secret balance of the place. The section studied corresponds to the “showcase” of the canal: at this height, the canal crosses the watershed which connects the Loire watershed to that of the Seine. This geographical link is made up of the famous vaults of La Collancelle and the Sardy ladder, a real water lift.
To open up the Sardy valley, the project enhances the strategic views for understanding the landscape, it creates links between the canal and its road network, and it devises its own signage.
The three entrances to the canal become three gateways to direct the flow of pedestrians, cyclists and waterway users throughout the site. Each one has its own identity.
The analysis shows eight sequences that reveal the atmospheres, smells, sounds and echoes that take the walker back to an imaginary world, plunging him into a mysterious, timeless universe.
These sequences are linked to a sensitive approach to the site taking into account several factors: geomorphology of the valley or canal, nature and occupation of the land, events (such as the presence of quarries or water inlets), remarkable views, etc.