Panama Canal Tours:
See the remnants of the French Canal

What happened to the French canal?

Although it ended in failure, the French canal project across the Isthmus of Panama represents a lot more than a footnote in text books or brochures. In fact, the construction of today’s canal by the Americans would not have been possible without a large part of the infrastructure and machinery left behind by the European pioneers.
What is left of the French canal? Many, including the majority of local tourist guides are simply unaware of its existence, in spite the fact one of its two remaining segments is not far away from one of the most visited landmarks of the Panama Canal.

The closest of these stretches to Panama City is adjacent to the Miraflores Locks, on the east side of today’s canal. To get there, visitors need to cross the Miraflores bridge and ride along the Cocoli highway. After passing through a field of rusty 19th or early-20th century canal machinery, visitors will encounter what resembles an elongated lake. This body of water is what is left of the French canal venture on the Pacific side of the Isthmus.

The second stretch is easier to visit. Spanning approximately two kilometers, it is located in the city of Colón, on the Caribbean side of the Isthmus, between the district of Cristóbal and the entrance of the present-day waterway. By entering Cristóbal Yacht Club, visitors will get a closer look of it.

To get to the actual stretch, one needs to drive one mile (1.6 km.) passed the Gatún Lakes on the road that leads to Fort San Lorenzo.

The Caribbean stretch of the French canal was used circa 1912 to deviate the waters of the Chagres River during the construction of Gatún’s locks and dam, a fact that has contributed to its preservation. The area has not changed much in the last 120 years.
Both remaining segments of the French effort still conserve their original width (70 meters), compared to today’s canal, which is 200 meters wide.