Boat lift by Fontinettes (Arken, France)
Photos - Info - Meteo - Tips - Nieuws - Geo Info -
General information about Fontinettes' boat lift
This unique industrial heritage from 1887 was restored to its former glory and has fairly recently (sometime in 2023 only) been opened to the general public. There you can see how back then boats were hoisted or lowered 13 meters to quickly compensate for the level difference on the Neufossé Canal (Dutch translation: "Nieuwegracht"). Previously, as many as 5 locks were needed to do the same thing. And that, of course, was ... a lot of wasted time. There are two loading barges each capable of lifting and lowering boats via a hydraulic system. Now there is a new lock complex (the "Ecluse de Fontinettes") a little further up the canal which has made this boat elevator unnecessary since 1967. Since 1984, the entire complex has been open to the public.
The boat elevator was classified as a monument historique in 2014.
In one of the loading bays is an old ship and you can visit it. There you will get explanations about life on board and, more specifically, how children experienced it. There is also a projection room set up in the cargo hold of the boat. A common French term for such a long, narrow barge, often about 38-80 meters long, is "Peniche." This term is also used in Belgium and the Netherlands.
This tourist site has ample parking (including for buses) and there is a picnic area.
Note: the boat elevator is no longer in operation. So in that respect you are visiting a static entity. When the boat elevator was still in operation, about 15,000 visitors a year came, now about 5,000 .
To conclude, "Fontinettes" is not itself a French word with a dictionary definition, it probably etymologically implies a place with small springs or fountains.
Newsletters
Visitor tips
Algemene tips:
1) zoekt U naar andere bezienswaardigheden in de buurt, raadpleeg dan onze Toeristische kaart van Top.Vlaanderen.
2) U kan onze overzichtslijsten raadplegen: per categorie ( bijv. tijdslijn, grootte, …) of per regio
3) U kan ook altijd de lokale toeristische diensten raadplegen :
Arken / Arques, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, Frankrijk: 9.655 inwoners op 23 km². | ||||
| About Us | ||||
Samenwerkingsverband: CA du Pays de Saint-Omer. Parent tourist regions: | ||||
| About Us | ||||
Geographical information
Address: Rue de l'Ascenseur, 62510 Arken, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France
Geographic coordinates:
– Google Maps: Latitude = 50.7317571 – Longitude = 2.30098
– OpenStreetMap: Latitude = 50.731753 – Longitude = 2.303689
– Altitude h = 11 m
Location of Fontinettes Boat Lift on:
Tourist map of Top.Vlaanderen – Google Maps – OpenStreetMap.
Route to Fontinettes Boat Lift: Route via Google Maps
Meteo
16°C
| Day | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
 cloudy
|
12° | 24°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 87 % | 1022 mb |
|
Tomorrow
9:00 p.m.
|
cloudy
|
14° | 16°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 42 Km/h | 93 % | 1017 mb |
|
Sun, May 26
9:00 PM
|
 light rain
|
13° | 16°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 25 Km/h | 88 % | 1017 mb |
|
ma jun 26
21:00
|
 light rain
|
14° | 16°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 26 Km/h | 95 % | 1010 mb |
|
di jun 26
21:00
|
light rain
|
14° | 16°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 37 Km/h | 95 % | 1010 mb |
| Hour | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
3:00 a.m.
|
slightly cloudy
|
12° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 10 Km/h | 87 % | 1022 mb |
|
Today
6:00 a.m.
|
 slightly cloudy
|
14° | 16°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 10 Km/h | 86 % | 1022 mb |
|
Today
9:00 a.m.
|
partly cloudy
|
18° | 21°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 8 Km/h | 79 % | 1021 mb |
|
Today
12:00
|
cloudy
|
23° | 23°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 79 % | 1020 mb |
|
Today
3:00 p.m.
|
cloudy
|
24° | 24°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 13 Km/h | 79 % | 1019 mb |
|
Today
6:00 p.m.
|
cloudy
|
16° | 16°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 13 Km/h | 80 % | 1017 mb |
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
slightly cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 6 Km/h | 82 % | 1017 mb |
|
Tomorrow
12:00 AM
|
 partly cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 3 Km/h | 83 % | 1015 mb |
Online information about Fontinettes' boat lift
Visitor numbers: 4,000 to 5,000 per year (now that the lift is no longer in operation); previously, this figure was around 15,000 per year.
Location on Google Maps.
Internet media for this boat lift: Website – Facebook – Instagram – Wikipedia (NL – FR – EN)
Internet media aboutthe Derivier AA: Wikipedia (NL – FR – EN)
Internet media about the Nieuwegracht: Wikipedia (NL –FR – EN)
Tourist Office“Pays de St. Omer – Office de Tourisme et des Congrès”
Administrative – Website – Facebook – Instagram
Our photos of Fontinettes' boat lift
Our photos, videos, etc. are all (c) 2004-2026, Top.Vlaanderen, Belgium. They may not be copied or used without permission. If you would like to use them for a project, please contact us in advance and we will see how we can work together. If you would like us to photograph your own tourist attraction, B&B, vacation home, etc., that is also possible. Please contact us via our contact form .
Photos from the visit on July 22, 2025:
Click on any of the photos below to launch the photo carousel....
Disclaimer: All information presented on top.vlaanderen has been compiled with the utmost care. It is also checked regularly. If you have any comments, errors, additional information, etc... please contact us via our contact form. We are not responsible for possible incorrect or incomplete information.
