Chelles Canal

{{Short description|Canal in France}}

{{Infobox canal

|name=Canal de Chelles

|image= 250px

|image_caption= Bridge over the canal in Chelles

|canal_length= {{convert|8.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}

|lock_length=

|lock_width=

|max_boat_length=

|max_boat_beam=

|min_boat_draft=

|min_boat_air_draft=

|original_num_locks=

|current_num_locks=

|min_elev=

|max_elev=

|total_rise=

|status=

|navigation_authority=

|former_names=

|present_owner=

|original_owner=

|engineer=

|other_engineer=

|date_approved=

|date_began=1848

|date_use=

|date_completed=1865

|date_extended=

|date_closed=

|date_restored=

|direction=

|start_point= Marne River in Neuilly-sur-Marne

|end_point= Marne River in Vaires-sur-Marne

|begin_coord={{coord|48.85421|N|2.53595|E|scale:5000}}

|end_coord= = {{coord|48.86878|N|2.65097|E|scale:5000}}

|branch=

|branch_of=

|connects_to= Marne River

}}

The Canal de Chelles ({{IPA|fr|kanal də ʃɛl}}; or Canal de Vaires à Neuilly-sur-Marne {{IPA|fr|kanal də vɛʁ a nœji syʁ maʁn|}}) is a channel parallel to the Marne River. It connects the Marne River in Neuilly-sur-Marne{{cite book | last = Jefferson | first = David | title = Through the French Canals | publisher = Adlard Coles Nautical | year = 2009 | pages = 275| isbn = 978-1-4081-0381-4 }} to the Marne River in Vaires-sur-Marne.

Construction began in 1848 when the government of the young Second Republic created the National Workshops to employ the unemployed. The work was abandoned shortly after due to lack of funding. It was started anew under Second Empire. The canal was opened in 1865.