Durance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Durance |
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| Durença | |
| River | |
 The Durance near Manosque
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| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Departments | Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône |
| Communes | Briançon, Embrun, Sisteron, Manosque, Cavaillon, Avignon |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Ubaye, Verdon |
| - right | Buëch, Coulon |
| City | Avignon |
| Source | Sommet des Anges |
| - location | Montgenèvre, Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France |
| - elevation | 2,325 m (7,628 ft) |
| - coordinates | 44°53′37″N 6°43′17″E / 44.89361°N 6.72139°E |
| Confluence | Rhône |
| - location | Avignon, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France |
| - elevation | 20 m (66 ft) |
| - coordinates | 43°55′22″N 4°44′37″E / 43.92278°N 4.74361°E |
| Length | 320.9 km (199 mi) |
| Basin | 14,342 km² (5,537 sq mi) |
| Discharge | for Saint-Paul-lès-Durance |
| - average | 175.0 m³/s (6,180 cu ft/s) |
The Durance (Occitan: Durença) is a famous river in southeastern France. It is a left tributary of the Rhône river. The Durance is the longest river in Metropolitan France that does not have a department named after it.
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The Durance River: A French Journey
The Durance river is about 321 kilometers (200 miles) long. It flows through a large area of land called a drainage basin, which is about 14,342 square kilometers (5,538 square miles).
Where Does the Durance Flow?
The Durance river begins high up in the mountains. Its source is on the east side of the Sommet des Anges mountain. This is near Montgenèvre, a ski resort close to Briançon. The river starts at an elevation of about 2,325 meters (7,628 feet).
From there, the Durance flows towards the southwest. It passes through several French departments. These include Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Vaucluse, and Bouches-du-Rhône.
Finally, the Durance joins the Rhône river. This meeting point, called a confluence, is south of the city of Avignon. The Durance is a left tributary, meaning it joins the Rhône from the left side when looking downstream.
The Durance mainly flows through the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence departments. It also forms a border for parts of the Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône departments. It even touches the Var department for a short distance.
Some of the towns and cities the Durance flows through include:
- In Hautes-Alpes:
- Briançon
- Embrun
- In Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:
- Sisteron
- Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban
- Manosque
- In Vaucluse:
How Much Water Does the Durance Carry?
The amount of water flowing in a river is called its discharge. The Durance river carries a lot of water. On average, about 175 cubic meters (6,180 cubic feet) of water pass by each second. This measurement was taken near Saint-Paul-lès-Durance.
Rivers Joining the Durance
Many smaller rivers and streams flow into the Durance. These are called tributaries. They add more water to the Durance as it makes its way to the Rhône.
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Rivers joining from the left:
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Rivers joining from the right:
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Images for kids
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The source of the Durance
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The Durance in Rognonas
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The bridge on the Durance between Sisteron and the Baume
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The Durance near Avignon
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Confluence of the Durance with the Rhône
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The dam at the Lac de Serre-Ponçon
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Durance Valley at Les Mées. You can see the EDF Canal in the distance.
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The Durance, close to Cavaillon
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The Durance in flood
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The dam/bridge of l'Escale
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Viaduct at Cavaillon for LGV Méditerranée
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Sisteron from the air, showing a dam and where the Buech river joins.
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A section of the river between Noves and Chartreuse de Bonpas
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The Via Domitia crossing the Durance at Cavaillon
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Sisteron built on banks of the Durance
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The Palais Longchamp
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See also
In Spanish: Río Durance para niños
