Waterways overcome substantial differences in level, link valleys across watersheds by exceptional structures, treasures of European industrial heritage. Yet their future is still not secured, as is testified by the sad state of the lift at Les Fontinettes, abandoned in 1967. The French waterways network has varying characteristics, and the smaller canals, of 250 tonnes capacity, are hard pushed to maintain their usefulness for waterborne transport. Yet péniches and pleasure boats readily share 99% of the waterways, and the potential capacity is far from being attained. Following the UK example, the cross-border project for restoration of the Roubaix (Deûle-Escaut) canal is a fine example of how abandoned industrial heritage can be restored as multifunctional transport infrastructure and leisure amenity. The canal is an issue of spatial development of the cross-border conurbation of Lille-Courtrai-Tournai, with 3 million inhabitants. An abandoned canal necessarily conveys a negative image. With contributions from the ERDF, the canal will be restored to navigation, and communes with an essentially industral past will in 2007 become mooring places for boats crusing across Europe.