The canal was opened in 1832 after 57 years of construction. It took a really long time. Indeed, because of the French revolution: they had to stop the project.
-the canal wasn't enough large so the transportations were limited
-a railroad was built next to the waterway and competed with it.
-the canal wasn't close to great industrial centres.
Nowadays, the canal is open from April to October and it's only used for pleasure navigation. For a few years, the canal is an important advantage for the tourism. The landscapes are beautiful and often used for movies set.