Canal des rotours

Description

Located in the commune of Morne-à-l’eau, the “Canal des Rotours” was dug over nearly 6kilometers by more than 300 free or enslaved men between 1826 and 1829. It begins in theGrippon’s plain, crosses the town, and flows into the Grand-Cul-de-Sac Marin atPointe àFeuille, not far from Vieux-bourg. This canal originates in the continuity of the Coudes’ gully,which crosses the plain of Grippon from one end to the other.Built as early as the 18th century for the drainage (drying and sanitation) of the marshy area ofGrande-Terre, it also allowed for the development of agriculture and an acceleration of rivertransport of goods and raw materials between this part of Grande-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre(notably with the sugar industry).Later, with the arrival ofvehicles and the construction of road networks, its use and that ofneighboring canals (Pointe à Retz, Pinette, or Perrin) declined sharply. During the long yearsof abandonment, the Canal des Rotours continued to perform its role in draining and protectingthe town during rainy periods. It is also used for the management of wastewater.Fortunately, since the end of the 20th century, various associations have taken an interest in it,cleaning and maintaining it to ensure its navigability and to address thepollution it is subjectto. In 2019, theONF* (National Forest Office) and theDEAL* (environment, urban planningand housing department) undertook a cleaning project with the aim of ensuring the free flowof water and a scenic aspect that allows for leisure activities (kayaking) as well as boat fishingto reach the Grand-Cul-de-Sac marin. In fact, it is a real interior fishing port in the middle ofthe town of Morne-à-l’Eau, serving as a tourist port for the Grand-Cul-de-Sac Marin

Biodiversity

This canal constitutes a nursery extending the mangrove, especially in the first two kilometersto the west. Communicating with the Grand-cul de sac Marin, the red, black, gray and whitemangroves, present shelter and feed fish and crustaceans (mangrove crab (Scylla serrata),dwarf swimming crab (Liocarcinus pusillus), swamp ghost crab(Ucides cordatus)or sandfiddler crab(Uca pugilatoroLeptuca pugilator)), mammals (rats, can find mongooses(belonging to theHerpestidaefamily), raccoons (Procyon lotor) )and birds (Guadeloupewoodpecker(Melanerpes herminieri), snowy egret (Egretta thula) and Carib grackle(Quiscalus lugubris) among others). Its wealth and tranquility make this place a breeding area.Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was also home to manatees, now decimated byexcessive fishing destined for the metropolis

Les potentialités écotouristiques

The canal, the basis of Morne-à-l’Eau’s urban and ecotourism development strategy, is part ofthe history of its territory. In addition to his flora and fauna interests, it participates from thetitles “city-nature” and “best city for biodiversity” obtained by the town of Morne-à-l’Eau. Onthe other hand, projects such as the City of Water and Biodiversity, in order to make knowledgeof the territory and itsbiodiversity accessible to everyone, encourage an eco-friendly kind oftourism as much as possible.

The Canal des Rotours, is a heritage with a history and a nature to discover, therefore, whetherby kayak or in its developing environment, is a good placeto visit. It also provides a goodexample about the rehabilitation and maintenance of our natural spaces

Linkto Canal des rotours–general advice

PATRIMOINE / ” La route de l’esclave”-Canal des ROTOURSCanal viewed from a boat Source:wikipédia.fr