Tunnel de Godarville

January 2022

On this beautiful, cold day, visit to an unknown place, and for good reason, since it was abandoned in the 1950’s. The tunnel was dug at the end of the 19th century when the 70 to 300 tons of the canal connecting two major cities of the country, canal opened in the first half of the 19th century.
Measuring just over a kilometer, it crosses the watershed between the Scheldt and the Meuse. Rather than creating a long tunnel, a trench could have been dug, but this solution was not favored by engineers at the time. It must be said that the unstable subsoil could have caused accidents at the time. However, it was the solution of the trench that was adopted in the years into the 1950’s, when the gauge was upgraded to 1,350 tons.
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Since the opening of the new canal a few tens meters away, the tunnel has been completely abandoned. While its north portal is still easily accessible, the south is left with no outlet, at the bottom of a pit. Access to this south portal being so easy that I paid myself a double fall when accessing it. A great muddy moment

The interior of the tunnel offers an astonishing spectacle. But since our visit took place in the midst of the tunnel tenants' hibernation, we just visited the very first few meters. Out of the question to disturb the inhabitants of the tunnel.
A more in-depth exploration will be possible in summer.

Pictures

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