in which direction does the river rhone flow through france through most of its course?

by Miss Ayana Daugherty Sr. 8 min read

The River Rhône is one of the major rivers of Europe. It rises in the Swiss Alps, passes through Lake Geneva and then runs through south eastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône.

Where does the Rhône river start and end?

 · north-west (turn right at the tourist office), you will come to a river bed (it joins the Rhone just above the port de plaisance) upstream of which is a completely intact Roman bridge. Viviers is magic. Hopefully the port de plaisance will be dredged and reopened in the near future, for it is sorely missed by plaisanciers.

Why is the Rhône River important to France?

At Lyon the Rhône enters its third sector, heading south toward the Mediterranean, its course characterized by the great north–south Alpine furrow that is …

Does the Rhine river flow through France?

The Rhône River begins in the Swiss Alps in the canton of Valais. The river flows for 505 miles from Switzerland through Lake Geneva and eastern France to Arles where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. To the east of Lyon, the river is turbulent and is not considered navigable.

What is the direction of the rivers in France?

 · The Upper Rhine flows northwards for about 300 kilometers through the Upper Rhine plains and is joined by tributaries such as the Ill River, Neckar, and Main, which joins the Rhine near Mainz. From Mainz, Upper Rhine exits the Rhine Valley via the Mainz Basin and later forms the border between Germany (Baden-Württemberg) and France (Alsace).

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The Rhine is one of the major European rivers.The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps, forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein, Swiss-Austrian, Swiss-German and then the Franco-German border, then flows in a mostly northerly direction through the German Rhineland and the Netherlands and eventually empties into the North Sea.

Which direction does the Rhone river flow?

It first flows generally to the northwest into Lake Geneva, then exits the lake and meanders to the southwest from Switzerland into France, meeting the Saône River in the vicinity of Lyon. The Rhône then flows south through southeastern France to the Mediterranean Sea.

Does the river Rhône flow through France?

Rhône River, historic river of Switzerland and France and one of the most significant waterways of Europe. It is the only major river flowing directly to the Mediterranean Sea and is thoroughly Alpine in character.

Where does the Rhone river begin and end?

The Rhône is a river in France and Switzerland. It is 812 kilometers long. The river starts in Rhône Glacier, which is in Switzerland. Then, the Rhône River joints the Saône, in France (and other rivers) and ends in the Mediterranean Sea.

Where is Rhône located?

THE RHONE IS THE chief river of southeastern FRANCE, draining much of the western ALPS and connecting the regions of the interior to the MEDITERRANEAN coast.

Where does the Rhone River start?

Rhône GlacierRhône / SourceThe Rhône Glacier is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the river Rhône and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais. Because the glacier is located close to the Furka Pass road it is easily accessible. Wikipedia

Is the Rhone river the same as the Rhine River?

The Rhine and Rhone rivers are more different than similar. The most obvious difference (besides being spelled with an "o" vs. an "i") is the number of countries visited. Rhone River cruises visit one country: France.

Where is Rhône river in Europe?

FranceThe River Rhône is one of the major rivers of Europe. It rises in the Swiss Alps, passes through Lake Geneva and then runs through south eastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône.

Where is the Rhone valley located in France?

The Rhône Valley was created during the last ice age as the Rhône Glacier carved its way south through what is now France. Today, the Rhône River begins in the Alps and meanders for 505 miles to the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river between Vienne and Avignon, just south of Lyon.

Where do the Rhône and Rhine meet?

hydrology of Rhine River …the Huningue branch of the Rhine–Rhône Canal leads to Mulhouse, where it meets the main arm of that waterway, which joins the Rhine at Strasbourg.

What countries does the river Rhine flow through?

RhineCountriesSwitzerland Liechtenstein Austria Germany France NetherlandsRhine BasinSwitzerland Liechtenstein Vorarlberg, South and Western Germany Alsace, France Luxembourg Belgium Netherlands Val di Lei, ItalyRegionCentral and Western EuropeLargest citiesCologne Düsseldorf Rotterdam Strasbourg Basel35 more rows

Where does the Rhône reach the sea?

Mediterranean SeaThe Rhône (/roʊn/ ROHN, French: [ʁon] ( listen)) is a major river in France and Switzerland, arising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea.

What is the name of the river that flows through the French Rhône valley?

Into this lake drained a river—the present Rhine —which then flowed south through the valley and into the Saône basin.

How long is the Rhône River?

Rolf Süssbrich. Rhine, Rhône, and Seine river basins and their drainage network Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Rhône is 505 miles (813 km) long and has a drainage basin of some 37,750 square miles (97,775 square km). The course of the river can be divided into three sectors, ...

How was the Rhone Valley formed?

Though the Rhône–Saône corridor is underlain by sediments laid down during the Paleogene and Neogene periods, much of its present surface is formed by debris deposited by valley glaciers that extended from the Alps during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago). These sediments were instrumental in cutting deep channels through the edge of the crystalline Massif Central, as evidenced at Vienne and Tain. The lower Rhone valley consequently takes the form of a series of gorges and basins, the latter often having a series of terraces corresponding to variations in the levels of ice and of river. Although the tributaries—notably the Ardèche —rushing down into the Rhône from the Massif Central are formidable when in flood, the great Alpine rivers—the Isère and the Durance, joining the left bank—are the most important in their effect on riverbed deposits and on the volume of water. Below Mondragon the lower Rhône valley becomes wider, and what was once a marshy landscape open to flooding has been regulated by a series of dams and canals.

When was Lake Bresse drained out of the Saône River?

About 5 million years ago the gulf of the sea was uplifted to expose the Rhône valley (in modern France), and Lake Bresse drained out to the south through the Saône River.

What is the name of the river that runs through glacier-excavated basins that its own deposits have

In the wider sections of its course in this region, the Rhône runs through glacier-excavated basins that its own deposits have barely filled, causing intermittent marshy areas. It is also joined by the Ain, from the north, and, on the left bank, by the Fier and Guiers.

What is the name of the valleys that the Jura Mountains are uplifted in?

It does this by cutting through deep longitudinal valleys called vaux and transverse valleys called cluses, which were formed when the Jura Mountains were uplifted during the Alpine orogeny. As a result, the river follows a complicated zigzag course.

What is the name of the mountain that flows through the city of Geneva?

From its juncture with the Arve to the French city of Lyon, the Rhône has to cross a difficult obstacle, the undulating series of ridges forming the Jura Mountains.

Where does the Rhine flow?

The Rhine flows west from Lake Constance and descends to about 252 meters towards the Rhine Falls, then turns north in Basel, near the Rhine Knee. Some stretches of the High Rhine run on the border between Switzerland and Germany, while other stretches flow entirely within Switzerland.

What are the names of the rivers that flow through the Rhine River?

Some of its names include Rhein (Germany), Rijn (Dutch), Rhin (French), Rhenus (Latin), and Renos (Celtic). However, these variant names were derived from the Gaulish word “Renos” used during the Greco-Roman period. The use of “Rh” in English, German, and French names resulted from the Greek influence. “Renos” is one of the class Gaulish river names derived from Proto-Indo European root “rei-“ meaning to flow, move, or run.

Where is the Rhine River located?

The Rhine River is Europe’s 12th longest river and the longest in Western and Central Europe, covering a distance of 1,230 kilometers from its source in Switzerland to its mouth in the Netherlands. It discharges an average of 2,900 cubic meters of water per second and a maximum of 13,000 cubic meters per second. The Rhine drains an area of about 185,000 square kilometers and flows through six countries. It has two primary sources; Anterior and Posterior Rhine, with both sources originating from Graubünden. The major cities along the Rhine include Basel (Switzerland), Cologne, Bonn, Duisburg, Mainz, Leverkusen, and Neuss (Germany), Strasbourg (France), and Rotterdam and Utrecht (Netherlands).

What is the Rhine River?

The Rhine River is the 11th longest river in Europe, stretching approximately 1,230 kilometers from its source in Switzerland to its mouth on the North Sea in the Netherlands. This transboundary river drains an area of about 185,000 square kilometers and flows through six countries; Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany, and the Netherlands. Additionally, the Rhine Basin drains Belgium and parts of Italy and France. The Rhine River is one of Europe’s most historically, culturally, and economically important rivers. It facilitates industrial transportation and supports industrial production, with about 20% of the world’s chemical industries manufacturing along the river. The Rhine, alongside the Danube, formed the Roman Empire’s northern inland frontier.

What river drains into Lake Constance?

Aerial view of the Rhine River draining into the Lake Constance.

Where does the Alpine Rhine flow?

Next to Reichenau in Tamins the Anterior Rhine and the Posterior Rhine join and form the Alpine Rhine. The river makes a distinctive turn to the north near Chur. This section is nearly 86 km long, and descends from a height of 599 m to 396 m. It flows through a wide glacial Alpine valley known as the Rhine Valley ( German: Rheintal ). Near Sargans a natural dam, only a few metres high, prevents it from flowing into the open Seeztal valley and then through Lake Walen and Lake Zurich into the Aare. The Alpine Rhine begins in the westernmost part of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and later forms the border between Switzerland to the west and Liechtenstein and later Austria to the east.

Where does the High Rhine begin?

The High Rhine begins in Stein am Rhein at the western end of the Untersee. Unlike the Alpine Rhine and Upper Rhine, it flows to the west. It descends from 395 m to 252 m.

What is the border between Germany and France?

The southern half of the Upper Rhine forms the border between France ( Alsace) and Germany (Baden-Württemberg). The northern part forms the border between the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate in the west on the one hand, and Baden-Württemberg and Hesse on the other hand, in the east and north. A curiosity of this border line is that the parts of the city of Mainz on the right bank of the Rhine were given to Hesse by the occupying forces in 1945.

Where is the Rhine waterfall located?

Between Eglisau and Basel, the High Rhine consistently forms the border. The Rhine Falls are situated below Schaffhausen. With an average water flow of 373 m³/s (mean summer discharge 700 m³/s) it is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of potential energy. The High Rhine is characterized by numerous dams.

Where does the water flow in Lake Überlingen?

A small fraction of the flow is diverted off the island of Mainau into Lake Überlingen. Most of the water flows via the Constance hopper into the Rheinrinne ("Rhine Gutter") and Seerhein. Depending on the water level, this flow of the Rhine water is clearly visible along the entire length of the lake.

Why does the Rhine water fall into the depths?

But then, at the so-called Rheinbrech, the Rhine water abruptly falls into the depths because of the greater density of cold water.

Where is the Anterior Rhine?

The Anterior Rhine ( Romansh: Rein Anteriur, German: Vorderrhein) springs from Lai da Tuma/Tomasee, near the Oberalp Pass and passes the impressive Ruinaulta formed by the largest visible rock slide in the alps, the Flims Rockslide.

How many km would the rivers in France cover?

Placed end to end the rivers in France would cover 430,000 km (metropolitan France, including Corsica).

What are some examples of rivers in France?

For example: Ain, Aube, Dordogne, Hérault, Isère, Moselle, Orne, Bas-Rhin (Lower Rhine), Seine-et-Marne, Yonne….

What is the name of the province in France that is north of Roanne?

North of Roanne, the Loire enters the province of Burgundy and is often nicknamed: Loire bourguignonne.

What river is synonymous with the Grand Châteaux?

The Loire River. For many, the Loire is synonymous with the grand châteaux from the Renaissance era. However we shouldn’t overlook the upper Loire which provides some stunning sites. The main Rivers in France: the Loire near Candes-Saint-Martin © French Moments.

What is the Garonne?

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges boasts an archeological site from the Roman era, a former cathedral in Meridional Gothic style and a picturesque old town with arches and vaults.

How long is the Garonne?

The Garonne is 575 km long, (including 522 km in France) and crosses the cities of Saint-Gaudens, Toulouse, Agen and Bordeaux. The watershed of the Garonne stretches from the Pyrenees to the Massif Central, and includes the towns of Albi, Auch, Cahors, Castres, Foix, Mende, Rodez.

What river flows in Bordeaux and Toulouse?

What is the river that flows in Bordeaux and Toulouse? The Garonne which, curiously, starts its course not in France, but in Spain!

Where does the Rhine flow?

It flows from two small headways in the Alps of east-central Switzerland north and west to the North Sea, into which it drains through the Netherlands. The length of the Rhine was long given as 820 miles (1,320 km), but in 2010 a shorter distance of about 765 miles (1,230 km) was proposed.

What is the name of the canal that connects the Rhine River to the sea?

Since 1872, however, the New Waterway Canal, constructed to improve access from the North Sea to Rotterdam, has been the main navigation link between the Rhine and the sea; along this canal was built Europoort, one of the world’s largest ports. Rhine River; Leiden, Netherlands. Old Rhine River at Leiden, Netherlands.

What river is a vineyard on?

A hillside vineyard along the Rhine River.

Where does the Rhine leave the lake?

The Rhine leaves the lake via its Untersee arm. From there to its bend at Basel, the river is called the Hochrhein (“High Rhine”) and defines the Swiss-German frontier, except for the area below Stein am Rhein, where the frontier deviates so that the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen are entirely within Switzerland.

What river is Laufenburg on?

The city of Laufenburg on the Rhine River in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Why is the Rhine important to industrial production?

The fact that cheap water transport on the Rhine helped to keep prices of raw materials down was the main reason the river became a major axis of industrial production: one-fifth of the world’s chemical industries are now manufacturing along the Rhine.

What is the role of the Rhine in Europe?

The Rhine has been a classic example of the alternating roles of great rivers as arteries of political and cultural unification and as political and cultural boundary lines. The river also has been enshrined in the literature of its lands, especially of Germany, as in the famous epic Nibelungenlied. Since the time when the Rhine valley became incorporated into the Roman Empire, the river has been one of Europe’s leading transport routes. Until the 19th century the goods transported were of high value but relatively small in volume, but since the second half of the 19th century the volume of goods conveyed on the river has increased greatly. The fact that cheap water transport on the Rhine helped to keep prices of raw materials down was the main reason the river became a major axis of industrial production: one-fifth of the world’s chemical industries are now manufacturing along the Rhine. The river was long a source of political dissension in Europe, but this has given way to international concern for ecological safeguards as pollution levels have risen; some 6,000 toxic substances have been identified in Rhine waters.

Overview

The Rhône is a major river in France and Switzerland, arising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Arles, near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (French: le Grand Rhône) and the Little Rhône (le Petit Rhône). The resulting delta forms the Camargue region.

Etymology

The name Rhone continues the Latin: Rhodanus name (Greek Ῥοδανός Rhodanós) in Greco-Roman geography. The Gaulish name of the river was *Rodonos or *Rotonos (from a PIE root *ret- "to run, roll" frequently found in river names).
Names in other languages include German: Rhone [ˈroːnə] (listen); Walser: Rotten [ˈrotən]; Italian: Rodano [ˈrɔːdano]; Arpitan: Rôno [ˈʁono]; and Occitan: Ròse [ˈrɔze, ˈʀɔze].

Navigation

Before railroads and highways were developed, the Rhône was an important inland trade and transportation route, connecting the cities of Arles, Avignon, Valence, Vienne and Lyon to the Mediterranean ports of Fos-sur-Mer, Marseille and Sète. Travelling down the Rhône by barge would take three weeks. By motorized vessel, the trip now takes only three days. The Rhône is classified as a Class V waterway for the 325 km-long (202 mi) section from the mouth of the Saôneat Lyon t…

Course

The Rhône begins as the meltwater of the Rhône Glacier in Valais, in the Swiss Alps, at an altitude of approximately 2,208 metres (7,244 ft). From there it flows southwest through Gletsch and the Goms, the uppermost valley region of the Valais before Brig. In the Brig area, it receives the waters of the Massa from the Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier of the Alps, and shortly after, it receives th…

History

The Rhône has been an important highway since the times of the Greeks and Romans. It was the main trade route from the Mediterranean to east-central Gaul. As such, it helped convey Greek cultural influences to the western Hallstatt and the later La Tène cultures. Celtic tribes living near the Rhône included the Seduni, Sequani, Segobriges, Allobroges, Segusiavi, Helvetii, Vocontii and Volcae Arecomici.

Along the Rhône

Cities and towns along the Rhône include:
• Oberwald (Valais)
• Brig (Valais)
• Visp (Valais)
• Leuk (Valais)

See also

• List of rivers of Europe
• Berges du Rhône
• Rhône (département)
• Rhône (wine region)
• Witenwasserenstock (triple watershed: Rhône-Rhine-Po)

Further reading

• Champion, Maurice (1858–1864), Les inondations en France depuis le VIe siècle jusqu'a nos jours (6 Volumes) (in French), Paris: V. Dalmont Scans: Volume 3 (1861) (Bassin du Rhône starts at page 185), Volume 4 (1862).
• Pardé, Maurice (1925), "Le régime du Rhône", Revue de géographie alpine (in French), 13 (13–3): 459–547, doi:10.3406/rga.1925.4941.