Seine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seine |
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The Seine in Paris
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Topographic map of the Seine basin
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| Country | France |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Source-Seine |
| River mouth | English Channel (French: la Manche) Le Havre/Honfleur 0 m (0 ft) 49°26′02″N 0°12′24″E / 49.43389°N 0.20667°E |
| Length | 777 km (483 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Seine basin |
| Basin size | 79,000 km2 (31,000 sq mi) |
| Tributaries | |
The Seine is a long river in northern France. It stretches for 777 kilometers (483 miles). The river's basin, or the land area it drains, covers most of northern France. It starts at Source-Seine, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Dijon. The Seine then flows through Paris and empties into the English Channel at Le Havre and Honfleur.
Large ships can travel on the Seine as far as Rouen, which is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the sea. Most of the river, up to Burgundy, can be used by big barges and tour boats. Almost the entire river is open for recreational boating. In Paris, special excursion boats called Bateaux Mouches offer tours to see the city's famous riverbanks.
There are 37 bridges in Paris that cross the Seine. Some of the most famous ones are the Pont Alexandre III and the Pont Neuf. Many more bridges are located outside the city. The Pont de Normandie is a very important bridge. It is the last bridge along the river's path and connects Le Havre and Honfleur. It is also one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world.
Contents
- Where Does the Seine River Begin?
- How is the Seine River Divided?
- Can Boats Travel on the Seine?
- How is the Seine River Kept Clean?
- What is the Seine River's Watershed Like?
- How Clean is the Seine River's Water?
- What is the History of the Seine River?
- The Seine River and the Olympics
- World Heritage Site
- The Seine in Art and Music
- See also
Where Does the Seine River Begin?
The Seine River starts in a place called Source-Seine. This area is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Dijon. The city of Paris has owned the source area since 1864.
The river's source comes from several small ditches. There's also an artificial cave built to show the main starting point. Inside the cave, you can see a statue of a nymph, a dog, and a dragon. The remains of an ancient Roman temple are also buried at this site. Small statues of the dea Sequana (the "Seine goddess") and other offerings found here are now in the Dijon archaeological museum.
How is the Seine River Divided?
The Seine River can be split into five main sections:
- The Petite Seine, or "Small Seine," runs from its source to Montereau-Fault-Yonne.
- The Haute Seine, or "Upper Seine," goes from Montereau-Fault-Yonne to Paris.
- The Traversée de Paris is the section that flows through Paris.
- The Basse Seine, or "Lower Seine," stretches from Paris to Rouen.
- The Seine maritime, or "Maritime Seine," runs from Rouen to the English Channel.
Below Rouen, the river flows through a special area called the Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine Normande. This is a French regional nature park.
Can Boats Travel on the Seine?
Yes, the Seine is a very important river for boats. It has been deepened so that large ocean-going ships can reach Rouen. Rouen is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the sea.
Smaller commercial boats, like barges, can use the river starting from Marcilly-sur-Seine. This is 516 kilometers (321 miles) from the river's mouth.
In Paris, the river is only about 24 meters (79 feet) above sea level, even though it's 446 kilometers (277 miles) from the sea. This makes the river flow slowly, which is good for navigation.
The section called the Seine Maritime is 123 kilometers (76 miles) long. It runs from the English Channel to Rouen and is the only part used by ocean-going ships. After this tidal section, there's a part called the Basse Seine. This section has four large locks that help boats move along the river. These locks go up to the mouth of the Oise River at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.
Smaller locks at Bougival and Suresnes lift boats to the river's level in Paris. Here, the river connects with the Canal Saint-Martin. The distance from the Oise River's mouth to Paris is 72 kilometers (45 miles).
The Haute Seine section, from Paris to Montereau-Fault-Yonne, is 98 kilometers (61 miles) long and has 8 locks. The Marne River joins the Seine at Charenton-le-Pont. Upstream from Paris, seven locks help boats navigate to Saint Mammès, where the Loing River joins. An eighth lock connects the Seine to the Yonne River at Montereau-Fault-Yonne.
From the Yonne River's mouth, larger ships can go upstream to Nogent-sur-Seine. This section is 48 kilometers (30 miles) long and has 7 locks. After that, only small boats can travel to Marcilly-sur-Seine. This part is 19 kilometers (12 miles) long and has 4 locks. In the past, the 19th-century Canal de la Haute-Seine allowed boats to go all the way to Troyes. However, this canal has not been used since 1957.
Today, the Seine's average depth in Paris is about 9.5 meters (31 feet). Before locks were built in the 1800s, the river was much shallower in the city. It had a small flowing channel with sandy banks. Now, the depth is carefully controlled, and the whole river width is usually full of water. The river's average flow is very slow, but it can be much faster during heavy rains.
How is the Seine River Kept Clean?
Since the 1950s, four large reservoirs have been built on the Seine and its connecting rivers. These include Lac d’Orient, Lac des Settons, Lake Der-Chantecoq, and Auzon-Temple and Amance. These reservoirs help keep the river level steady in Paris. However, they cannot stop big floods when there is a lot of rain.
Flooding in Paris
In January 1910, a very severe flood caused widespread damage in Paris. The Seine also reached dangerous levels in 1924, 1955, 1982, 1999–2000, June 2016, and January 2018.
In 2003, after a flood warning, about 100,000 artworks were moved out of Paris. This was the largest movement of art since World War II. Many artworks in Paris are kept in underground storage, which would have been flooded.
A 2002 report by the French government said that a worst-case flood of the Seine could cost 10 billion euros. It could also cut off phone service for a million Parisians. About 200,000 people would lose electricity, and 100,000 would lose gas.
In January 2018, the Seine flooded again. It reached a level of 5.84 meters (19 feet 2 inches) on January 29. An official warning was given on January 24 that heavy rain would likely cause the river to flood. By January 27, the river was rising. The Deputy Mayor of Paris, Colombe Brossel, said that the heavy rain was due to climate change. She added that "We have to understand that climatic change is not a word, it's a reality."
What is the Seine River's Watershed Like?
The Seine's watershed, which includes a small part of Belgium, covers 78,910 square kilometers (30,467 square miles). About 2% of this area is forest, and 78% is farmland.
Besides Paris, three other cities with over 100,000 people are in the Seine watershed. These are Le Havre at the river's mouth, Rouen in the Seine valley, and Reims to the north. The population density in the watershed is 201 people per square kilometer.
Rivers Joining the Seine
Many smaller rivers flow into the Seine. Here are some of its tributaries, listed from the source to the mouth:
- Ource (right side)
- Barse (right side)
- Aube (right side)
- Yonne (left side)
- Loing (left side)
- Almont (right side)
- Essonne (left side)
- Orge (left side)
- Yerres (right side)
- Marne (right side)
- Bièvre (left side)
- Oise (right side)
- Aubette de Meulan (right side)
- Mauldre (left side)
- Vaucouleurs (left side)
- Epte (right side)
- Andelle (right side)
- Eure (left side)
- Oison (left side)
- Aubette (right side)
- Cailly (right side)
- Austreberthe (right side)
- Commerce (right side)
- Risle (left side)
- Lézarde (right side)
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How Clean is the Seine River's Water?
The Seine-Normandy watershed has a lot of industry, farms, and cities like Paris. This means it faces the highest human impact of any river basin in France. Compared to most other big European rivers, the Seine is not very good at diluting city sewage and farm runoff.
For over a century, the river has had problems with low oxygen levels and high amounts of ammonia, nitrites, and bacteria from waste. Nitrogen fertilizers, used since the 1960s, increased farm pollution. Heavy industries near Paris and along the Oise River used to dump untreated wastewater. This caused high levels of toxins in the river, which were not addressed until the late 1980s. Major French laws to improve water quality were passed in 1898, 1964, 1996, and 2006.
In the early 1900s, most household sewage was used as fertilizer for nearby farms. As the population grew, farms could no longer absorb all the wastewater. Large wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) began to be built in 1940. However, by 1970, about 60% of city sewage still flowed into the river untreated. This lack of oxygen caused the number of fish species to drop to only three.
In the early 2000s, new rules helped reduce organic carbon, phosphorus, and ammonium. This led to fewer and less severe algae blooms. More treatment plants and new methods improved the environment. In 2009, it was announced that Atlantic salmon had returned to the Seine. By the early 2020s, the number of fish species near Paris had grown to 32.
Sometimes, the sewage systems of Paris overflow, especially during heavy rain. When this happens, untreated sewage from homes and industries is released into the Seine. This is to prevent sewage from backing up into homes. This problem is partly because Paris has a "single system" drainage plan from the 1800s. This system combines street runoff and sewage. The sewage bacteria use up oxygen in the water. The Seine also has relatively high levels of heavy metals. The pH level of the Seine at Pont Neuf has been measured at 8.46. Despite these issues, the water quality has greatly improved from what some historians once called an "open sewer."
In 2018, a €1.4 billion ($1.55 billion) cleanup program called the "Swimming Plan" was started. Its goal was to make the river safe for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The project included building a basin to store rainwater. This water would then be slowly released into the sewer system, preventing overflows. There are also plans for public swimming areas to open by 2025. This would end a ban on swimming that began in 1923 due to pollution.
These efforts have had mixed results. Levels of E. coli bacteria have often been much higher than what is safe for swimming. However, this can depend on the season. At the same time, the number of fish in the river has increased from just two species to over 30. To show how clean the river has become, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and President Emmanuel Macron both promised to swim in the waters. Mayor Hidalgo did so on July 17, 2024.
During the Summer Olympics, the triathlon date was changed because of water quality issues. An earlier rainstorm during the opening ceremony had sent some untreated rainwater into the Seine. However, the triathlon went ahead the next day after tests showed the water was safe enough for swimming.
What is the History of the Seine River?
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The name Seine comes from the old Gaullish word Sēquana. This name comes from the Celtic goddess of the river, as offerings to her were found at the river's source. Some people incorrectly link it to the Latin word sequor meaning 'follow'. However, the Celtic word likely comes from the same root as the English word sea, meaning 'to flow' or 'to pour forth'.
On March 28 or 29, 845, an army of Vikings sailed up the Seine River. They were led by a chieftain named Reginherus, who might have been Ragnar Lothbrok. They attacked and took over Paris.
On November 25, 885, another Viking group led by Rollo went up the Seine River to attack Paris again.
In March 1314, King Philip IV of France had Jacques de Molay put to death. De Molay was the last leader of the Knights Templar. He was burned on a platform on an island in the Seine River, in front of Notre Dame de Paris.
After Joan of Arc was put to death in 1431, her ashes were thrown into the Seine from the Mathilde Bridge in Rouen.
On August 9, 1803, Robert Fulton, an American inventor, successfully tested his steamboat in the Seine. This happened next to the Tuileries Garden. Fulton's steamboat was 66 feet long and 8 feet wide. It could travel at speeds of three to four miles per hour against the Seine's current.
Reaching the Seine was a goal of Operation Overlord during World War II in 1944. The Allies wanted to reach the Seine within 90 days after D-Day. They met this goal. The Germans' resistance in France fell apart by early September 1944, so a planned river crossing didn't happen. However, the First Canadian Army did face resistance west of the Seine. Fighting happened in the Forêt de la Londe as Allied troops tried to stop parts of the German 7th Army from escaping across the river during the end of the Battle of Normandy.
The Seine River and the Olympics
1900 and 1924 Summer Olympics
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, the Seine River was used for rowing, swimming, and water polo events. Twenty-four years later, at the 1924 Summer Olympics, it hosted the rowing events again. These took place at Bassin d'Argenteuil, along the Seine north of Paris.
2024 Summer Olympics
More than a century later, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Seine hosted a boat parade for the opening ceremony. Each country's team had its own boat.
The river was also the location for the men's and women's marathon swimming events. It was also used for the swimming part of the triathlon. Even though swimming in the Seine had been banned since 1923, the French government spent €1.4 billion on a cleanup effort. The goal was to make the river's bacteria levels safe for swimming. During the Olympics, daily water quality tests were done to check if it was safe. This caused the triathlon to be delayed by a day, but it went ahead on July 31. A few triathletes who swam in the river later felt sick, but it was not clear if the Seine water was the cause.
World Heritage Site
In 1991 and again in 2024, UNESCO added the banks of the Seine in Paris to its list of World Heritage Sites in Europe. This includes both the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and Rive Droite (Right Bank).
The Seine in Art and Music
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Seine River inspired many artists. Some of these artists include:
- Frédéric Bazille
- Maurice Boitel
- Richard Parkes Bonington
- Eugène Boudin
- Camille Corot
- Charles-François Daubigny
- Guy Debord
- Raoul Dufy
- Othon Friesz
- Carl Fredrik Hill
- Eugène Isabey
- Johan Jongkind
- Raimond Lecourt
- Albert Marquet
- Henri Matisse
- Claude Monet
- Luis F. Pinzón
- Camille Pissarro
- Emilio Grau Sala
- Gaston Sébire
- Georges Seurat
- Alfred Sisley
- Constant Troyon
- J. M. W. Turner
- Félix Vallotton
- Édouard Vuillard
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
A song called "La Seine" was written by Flavien Monod and Guy Lafarge in 1948. Josephine Baker also recorded a song named "La Seine." Another song titled "La Seine," by Vanessa Paradis featuring Matthieu Chedid, was part of the soundtrack for the 2011 movie A Monster in Paris. The Seine is also mentioned in ABBA's 1980 song "Our Last Summer," written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
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Georges Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886) is set on an island in the Seine.
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Carl Fredrik Hill, French River Landscape, Bois-le-Roi (1877)
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Alfred Sisley, The Terrace at Saint-Germain, Spring (1875) in the Walters Art Museum gives a panoramic view of the Seine river valley.
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Washhouses on Seine (1937) by Andrus Johani
See also
In Spanish: Río Sena para niños
