Canal du Beaumont (The Beaumont canal)

In the far reaches of the Alpine valleys, where the mountains stretch majestically, winding through green meadows and lush forests, lies the  Canal du Beaumont.

Today, the Beaumont Canal remains a living testimony to human genius and its ability to shape the landscape to meet its needs.

The canal stretches an impressive 35 kilometers, linking La Chapelle en Valjouffrey, perched at 949 meters above sea level, to Quet en Beaumont, lower at 873 meters.

With a gentle slope of just 2 millimeters per kilometer, it almost seems to blend harmoniously into the landscape.

This liquid path crosses no less than seven municipalities, thus offering its benefits to each of them.

Valjouffrey, Entraigues, Valbonnais, Saint-Laurent en Beaumont, Saint-Pierre-de-Méarotz, La Salle-en-Beaumont and Quet-en-Beaumont all benefit from this welcome irrigation, which transforms their formerly arid lands into true oases of fertility.

But the canal does not just nourish the region's land. Since 1911, it has also played a vital role in electricity production, powering the Malbuisson power station with a respectable 2.2 megawatts.

Thus, water which irrigates and nourishes the land also finds a second life, transformed into energy to light homes and power local industries.