We can see England from the French coasts by fine weather. After Louis Blériot succeed in crossing the Manche for the first time by airplane, it was good to imagine being in touch permanently with the continent outside the maritime and aerial roads. In fact the project to bind England to France began in 1802.

But these plans had begun to take shape recently. The building of this tunnel is the more industrial and financial adventure of the end of the XX^th century. More than 13,000 workers took part in this odyssey that lasts more than a decade. 150 km of gallery were drilled. 642 km of pipes and 1,650 km of cables were installed. Each gallery was 42 km length with 37 under the sea and was 240 meters in depth.

The gallery of service was begun the 2 march 1988 and was ended the 1^st December 1990. The north and south railway galleries were begun respectively the 28 November 1988 and the 27 November 1989. They were ended respectively the 22 May 1991 and the 28 June 1991. The 1^st December 1990 by 100 meters under the sea, French and English shook hands together.

The first crossing by train will be the 10 December 1993. For the inauguration the postal French issue is done jointly with the Royal mail.

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