Somme River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Somme |
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| River | |
 The Somme
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| Country |  France |
|---|---|
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Departments | Aisne, Somme |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Avre, Selle |
| - right | Ancre |
| Cities | Saint-Quentin, Abbeville, Amiens |
| Source | Picardy |
| - location | Fonsomme, Aisne, France |
| - elevation | 86 m (282 ft) |
| - coordinates | 50°13′18″N 1°34′0″E / 50.22167°N 1.56667°E |
| Mouth | English Channel |
| - location | Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme, France |
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| - coordinates | 50°13′16″N 1°34′0″E / 50.22111°N 1.56667°E |
| Length | 245 km (152 mi) |
| Basin | 6,550 km² (2,529 sq mi) |
| Discharge | for Abbeville |
| - average | 35.1 m³/s (1,240 cu ft/s) |
| - max | 43.00 m³/s (1,519 cu ft/s) |
| - min | 27.30 m³/s (964 cu ft/s) |
The Somme is a famous river located in the north of France. It flows through the Hauts-de-France region and even gives its name to a French department called Somme.
The name "Somme" comes from an old Celtic word. It means "tranquil" or "peaceful," which describes how calm the river is for most of its journey. The river is also very well-known because of the Battle of the Somme. This was a very important and difficult battle during the First World War.
Contents
River Facts
The Somme River is about 245 km (152.2 mi) long. This makes it a medium-sized river in France. The area of land that drains water into the Somme River is about 6,550 km2 (2,529 sq mi). This is called its drainage basin.
Where the River Starts and Ends
The Somme River begins in a place called Fonsommes. This small town is in the Aisne department of France. The river's starting point, or source, is high up, about 86 m (282 ft) above sea level.
As the river flows, it passes through many towns and cities. Some of the main places it goes through include:
- In the Aisne department: Fonsommes and Saint-Quentin.
- In the Somme department: Ham, Péronne, Corbie, Amiens, Abbeville, and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme.
The Somme River flows through 49 different towns and villages in total. Finally, the river reaches the sea. It flows into the English Channel near the town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme.
Rivers Joining the Somme
Many smaller rivers and streams flow into the Somme River. These are called tributaries. They add water to the Somme as it travels towards the sea.
- Rivers joining from the left:
- Avre: This river is about 66.2 kilometers long.
- Selle: This river is about 38.9 kilometers long.
- Saint-Landon: This river is about 13.2 kilometers long.
- Airaines: This river is about 12.8 kilometers long.
- Rivers joining from the right:
- Omignon: This river is about 32 kilometers long.
- Cologne: This river is about 23.2 kilometers long.
- Tortille: This river is about 16.1 kilometers long.
- Ancre: This river is about 37.4 kilometers long.
- Hallue: This river is about 15.8 kilometers long.
- Nièvre: This river is about 22 kilometers long.
- Scardon: This river is about 12.4 kilometers long.
Ancient Discoveries
The valley of the Somme River is a very important place for archaeologists. Many ancient tools and artifacts have been found here. For example, a very old human culture is named after Saint-Acheul, which is a part of the city of Amiens.
This culture is called the Acheulean culture. It is famous for the special stone tools, like Hand axes, that were made during the Stone Age. These discoveries help us learn about early humans who lived along the Somme River thousands of years ago.
Images for kids
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King Edward III Crossing the Somme (at the Battle of Blanchetaque): painting by Benjamin West, 1788
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The mouth of the Somme in the English Channel
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The estuary is now much smaller than it once was but still extensive.
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An example of the lakes formed in the fen of the valley bottom. They attract wildfowlers and anglers.
See also
In Spanish: Río Somme para niños
