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Vienne (river) facts for kids

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Vienne
Occitan: Vinhana
River
Limoges bridge Saint Martial.JPG
The Vienne in Limoges
Country France
Regions Centre-Val de Loire, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Departments Haute-Vienne, Vienne, Creuse, Corrèze, Charente, Indre-et-Loire
Communes Saint-Junien, Confolens, L'Isle-Jourdain, Chauvigny, Chinon
Tributaries
 - left Briance, Clain
 - right Maulde, Taurion, Creuse
Cities Limoges, Châtellerault
Source Plateau de Millevaches
 - location Massif Central, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
 - elevation 880 m (2,887 ft)
 - coordinates 45°39′44″N 2°5′34″E / 45.66222°N 2.09278°E / 45.66222; 2.09278
Confluence Loire river
 - location Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire, France
 - elevation 33 m (108 ft)
 - coordinates 47°12′24″N 0°5′3″E / 47.20667°N 0.08417°E / 47.20667; 0.08417
Length 363.2 km (226 mi)
Basin 21,161 km² (8,170 sq mi)
Discharge for Candes-Saint-Martin
 - average 210 /s (7,416 cu ft/s)

The Vienne (Occitan: Vinhana) is one of the most important rivers in southwestern France, a main left tributary of the lower Loire river. It supports numerous hydroelectric dams.

It flows through the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Centre-Val de Loire regions, and two French départements are named after the Vienne: the Haute-Vienne (87) and the Vienne (86).

Geography

The Vienne river has a length of 363.2 km (226 mi) and a drainage basin with an area of approximately 21,161 km2 (8,170 sq mi).

Course

The Vienne river starts in the department of the Corrèze, at the foot of Mont Audouze, on the Plateau de Millevaches, in the commune of Millevaches, at an elevation of about 880 m (2,887 ft).

It then flows roughly west to the city of Limoges where its water was used in the famous Limoges porcelain industry. A little way after Limoges it takes a turn to the north.

Finally, the river flows into the Loire river, on the left side, in the commune Candes-Saint-Martin.

The Vienne flows through 6 departments and 96 communes, in 2 regions:

The Vienne flows through three regional nature parks: Parc naturel régional de Millevaches en Limousin, Parc naturel régional Périgord Limousin and Parc naturel régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine.

Main tributaries

The main tributaries of the Vienne river are:

Hydrology

Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 193.0 m3/s (6,820 cu ft/s) at Nouâtre in the Indre-et-Loire department.

Average monthly discharge (m3/s) at Nouâtre (1958 - 2017)

Gallery

Related pages

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Río Vienne para niños

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