Much of the local population simply refers to the waterway as the Deûle, evoking its original state as a natural river.
The Canal de la Deûle is one of the oldest canals in northern France, originally connecting the river Scarpe near Douai with the river Lys at Deûlémont near the Belgian border. Despite having the size and appearance of a built canal, the upstream section is still partly free-flowing and is known as the Souchez.