Underground view of Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France (© Stefano Torrione/Hemis/Corbis)

【December 29 2014】In 1802, fast-growing Paris suffered rising incidents of waterborne cholera and dysentery. So Napoleon commissioned an 81-mile circuit of canals to bring fresh water to the city. Once it was complete, in 1825, the Canal Saint-Martin brought Parisians more than just fresh water. It also provided an efficient way to transport commercial goods to the city. In the 1960s, Saint-Martin traffic slowed and the city nearly paved it over. But Parisians protested, and the popular canal flows on. Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..