Emiland Gauthey

Emiland Gauthey (or Émiland-Marie Gauthey; French: [ɡotɛ]; December 3, 1732 – July 14, 1806) was a French civil engineer and architect in the Age of Enlightenment. He designed some churches and public buildings, but he mostly worked on bridge design and canal construction in Burgundy.

Gauthey was born in Chalon-sur-Saône, France, and studied at the École Royale des Ponts et Chaussées (School of Bridges and Highways) in Paris before his appointment at Chalon-sur-Saône as civil engineer. Then, between 1783 and 1793, he led as Chief Engineer of Burgundy the construction of the Canal du Centre, or Charolais Canal which joined the Loire (at Digoin) and Saône rivers (at Chalon-sur-Saône) in Burgundy. It was opened in 1792 and made possible for the first time boat traffic from the north of France to the south.

Pont de Navilly (156 meters) built by Emiland Gauthey on the Doubs river (1782–1790) in Saône-et-Loire (Burgundy - France)

Emiland Gauthey also built several bridges in Burgundy: (Gueugnon (1787), Navilly (1782–1790) and Chalon-sur-Saône (1790–1791), and, as architect, the Hôtel de ville of Tournus (1771), the Theater at Chalon-sur-Saône (1778) and churches at Givry (1772–1791) and Louhans.

After the French Revolution, he became one of those responsible for ways, canals and bridges in Paris and was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1804 (first promotion of the history). Emiland Gauthey died suddenly on July 14, 1806, in Paris.

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