The lift handles a vertical drop of 44.55 meters, which is equivalent to a 15-story building.
The entire caisson and its water content weigh approximately 900 tons during transit.
The operation uses a cable-driven funicular system rather than a hydraulic piston system.
The lift's construction was necessitated by the need to accommodate modern, larger barges on the European inland waterway network.
A safety gate is located at the top of the incline to prevent water from flooding the mechanism in the event of a breach.
The bypass of the 17 old locks saved canal users an average of 4.5 kilometers of travel distance.
The lift is housed within a concrete structure designed to withstand the immense pressures of the moving water mass.
The Saint-Louis/Arzviller inclined plane is a unique transverse boat lift on the Marne-Rhine Canal in the Vosges mountains. It replaced 17 traditional locks, reducing a transit that once took a full day to approximately 20 minutes. The structure operates as a mechanical funicular lift that transports boats in a water-filled caisson up or down a 44.55-meter vertical slope. It is the only lift of its kind in France and remains an active component of the canal network. The system uses a counterweight mechanism where two 450-ton weights balance the mass of the caisson. The installation opened in 1969 to bypass the old, winding canal path known as the 'lock staircase.' It remains a functional engineering marvel for both commercial and recreational canal traffic.
The observation deck overlooking the base of the ramp provides the best view of the caisson descending.
Book a spot on the tourist boat trip in advance to experience the mechanical lift firsthand from the water.
Walk the nearby hiking trails that follow the old canal path to see the derelict locks that this incline replaced.
Visit the small onsite exhibition hall to view mechanical models explaining the counterweight system.
Do not attempt to walk on the mechanical tracks or enter restricted technical zones marked for staff only.
Closed annually during the winter season and periodically during maintenance windows; typically open from spring through early autumn.
