The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
and flowing west and south through
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial la ...
and southeastern France before discharging into the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
. At
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
, near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (french: le Grand Rhône, links=no) and the Little Rhône (). The resulting
delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also ...
forms the
Camargue
Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the '' ...
region.
The river's source is the
Rhône Glacier
, french: Glacier du Rhône, it, ghiacciaio del Rodano
, photo = Ghiacciaiorhone.jpg
, photo_caption = View towards the Tieralplistock
, type = Valley glacier
, location = Furka Pass, Valais, Switzerland
, coords ...
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
. The glacier is part of the
Saint-Gotthard Massif
The Gotthard Massif or Saint-Gotthard Massif (german: Gotthardmassiv or ; it, Massiccio del San Gottardo; rm, Massiv dal Gottard) is a mountain range in the Alps in Switzerland, located at the border of four cantons: Valais, Ticino, Uri and G ...
, which gives rise to three other major rivers: the Reuss,
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest ...
, one of the three Mediterranean rivers with the largest
water discharge
In hydrology, discharge is the volumetric flow rate of water that is transported through a given cross-sectional area. It includes any suspended solids (e.g. sediment), dissolved chemicals (e.g. CaCO3(aq)), or biologic material (e.g. diatoms) in ad ...
.
Etymology
The name ''Rhône'' continues the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
name (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
Gaulish
Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switze ...
name of the river was or (from a PIE root *''ret-'' "to run, roll" frequently found in river names).
Names in other languages include german: Rhone ; wae, Rotten ; it, Rodano ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ; and rm, Rodan.
The Greco-Roman as well as the reconstructed Gaulish name is masculine, as is French . This form survives in the Spanish/Portuguese and Italian namesakes, and , respectively. German has adopted the French name but given it the feminine gender, . The original German adoption of the Latin name was also masculine, ; it survives only in the
Upper Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the Sw ...
( dialectal ).
In French, the adjective derived from the river is , as in (literally "the furrow of the Rhône"), which is the name of the long, straight
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
and Rhône river valleys, a deep cleft running due south to the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
and separating the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
from the
Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...
.
Navigation
Before railroads and highways were developed, the Rhône was an important inland trade and transportation route, connecting the cities of
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
to the Mediterranean ports of
Fos-sur-Mer
Fos-sur-Mer (, literally ''Fos on Sea''; Provençal: ''Fòs'') is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
Geography
Fos-sur-Mer is situated about north west of Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast, and to the west ...
,
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
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 section from the mouth of the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
at Lyon to the sea at
Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône
Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (; oc, Pòrt Sant Loís) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
History
The commune was created in 1904 from parts of the communes of Arles and Fos-sur-Mer. The Saint-Louis channel wa ...
. Upstream from Lyon, a section of the Rhône was made navigable for small ships up to Seyssel. , the part between Lyon and
Sault-Brénaz
Sault-Brénaz is a Communes of France, commune in the Ain Departments of France, department in eastern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Ain department
References
Communes of Ain
Ain communes articles needing transla ...
is closed for navigation.
The Saône, which is also canalized, connects the Rhône ports to the cities of
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Villefranche-sur-Saône (, ; frp, Velafranche) is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.
It lies 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the river Saône, and is around north of Lyon. The inhabitants of the town are called ''Caladois''.
...
,
Mâcon
Mâcon (), historically anglicised as Mascon, is a city in east-central France. It is the prefecture of the department of Saône-et-Loire in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Mâcon is home to near 34,000 residents, who are referred to in French as ...
and Chalon-sur-Saône. Smaller vessels (up to CEMT class I) can travel further northwest, north and northeast via the
Centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
* Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...
-Loire-Briare and Loing Canals to the Seine, via the Canal de la Marne à la Saône (recently often called the "
Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne
The Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne (, literally ''Canal between Champagne and Burgundy''), previously named Canal de la Marne à la Saône (, literally ''Canal of the Marne to the Saône''), is a canal in north-eastern France connecting the t ...
Canal des Vosges
The Canal de la Meuse is the current name of what used to be the northern branch of the Canal de l'Est ("canal of the east"). It is a canal in northeastern France, predominantly made up of the canalised river Meuse. The Canal de l'Est was built fro ...
.
The Rhône is infamous for its strong current when the river carries large quantities of water: current speeds up to are sometimes reached, particularly in the stretch below the last lock at
Vallabrègues
Vallabrègues (; oc, Valabrega) is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.
Geography
Vallabrègues is the only commune of the Gard department located on the left bank of the river Rhône. It is located opposite the part of the t ...
and in the relatively narrow first diversion canal south of Lyon. The 12 locks are operated daily from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. All operation is centrally controlled from one control centre at Châteauneuf. Commercial barges may navigate during the night hours by authorisation.
Rhône Glacier
, french: Glacier du Rhône, it, ghiacciaio del Rodano
, photo = Ghiacciaiorhone.jpg
, photo_caption = View towards the Tieralplistock
, type = Valley glacier
, location = Furka Pass, Valais, Switzerland
, coords ...
in
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
, in the Swiss Alps, at an altitude of approximately . From there it flows southwest through
Gletsch
Gletsch () is a hamlet in the German-speaking half of the canton of Valais, located in the upper Rhone valley, called Obergoms ('Upper Goms'), , southeast below the Rhone Glacier's mouth and itself the headwaters of the Rhône. It is called Gle ...
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 the waters of the
Vispa
The Vispa is a river in the canton of Valais, located in the Visp area. It is essentially composed of two large branches: the Matter Vispa and the Saaser Vispa, converging at Stalden, then forming the Vispa proper, flowing for less than before ...
, the longest affluent in Valais. After that, it flows onward through the valley which bears its name and runs initially in a westerly direction about thirty kilometers to
Leuk
Leuk (french: Loèche-Ville) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octoduriens ...
.
Down as far as Brig, the Rhône is a torrent; it then becomes a great mountain river running southwest through a glacial valley. Between Brig and
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octoduriens ...
, it collects waters mostly from the valleys of the
Pennine Alps
The Pennine Alps (german: Walliser Alpen, french: Alpes valaisannes, it, Alpi Pennine, la, Alpes Poeninae), also known as the Valais Alps, are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais) and Italy ...
to the south, whose rivers originate from the large glaciers of the massifs of
Monte Rosa
:
, other_name = Monte Rosa massif
, translation = Mount Rose
, photo = Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) and Monte Rosa Glacier as seen from Gornergrat, Wallis, Switzerland, 2012 August.jpg
, photo_caption = Central Mon ...
Grand Combin
The Grand Combin is a mountain massif in the western Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais. At a height of the summit of ''Combin de Grafeneire'' is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of the Pennine Alps. The Gran ...
, but also from the steeper slopes of the
Bernese Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=BerneseAlps.jpg
, photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
, country= Switzerland
, subdivision1_type= Cantons
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders_on=
, ...
to the north, and the
Mont Blanc massif
The Mont Blanc massif (french: Massif du Mont-Blanc; it, Massiccio del Monte Bianco) is a mountain range in the Alps, located mostly in France and Italy, but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major indepen ...
to the west. As a result, the Rhône Valley experiences a drier climate than the rest of Switzerland, being sheltered by the three highest ranges of the Alps, making Valais the driest and largest wine region of the country.
At Martigny, where it receives the waters of the
Drance
The Drance (french: La Drance/Dranse, ) is a river in Valais, Switzerland with a length of to the confluence with the Rhône, a maximum length of . It has a drainage basin of . The river is formed from the confluence of the ''Dranse d'Entremon ...
on its left bank, the Rhône makes a sharp turn towards the north. Heading toward
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial la ...
(), the valley narrows near Saint-Maurice, a feature that has long given the Rhône valley strategic importance for the control of the Alpine passes. The Rhône then marks the boundary between the cantons of Valais (left bank) and
Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
(right bank), separating two parts of the historical region of
Chablais
Chablais () was a province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital was Thonon-les-Bains.
Chablais was elevated to a duchy in 1311 by Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.
This region is currently divided into three territories, the ''Chablais savoyard'', the ...
. It then enters Lake Geneva near
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret () is a village in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions ...
, where the water flows west.
On the left (south) bank of Lake Geneva, the river Morge joins at the village of
Saint-Gingolph Saint-Gingolph is a small town situated on the south bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). It sits at the France–Switzerland border and is administratively divided into Saint-Gingolph, Valais (Switzerland) and Saint-Gingolph, Haute-Savoie (France). I ...
, and also marks the French-Swiss border. Westward, the Dranse (unrelated to the Drance) enters the lake with its preserved
delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also ...
, and then the
Hermance
Hermance () is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.
History
Hermance is first mentioned in 1247 as ''intra Armentia''. In 1271 it was mentioned as ''Eremencia''.
Geography
Hermance has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% ...
marks another French-Swiss border. Between the Morge and Hermance, the lake is divided by the two countries along its centreline, with the left bank in France. The remainder of the lake is Swiss, including the entire right (north) bank. Here, the tributaries are the
Veveyse
Veveyse District (german: Bezirk Vivisbach; french: District de la Veveyse ; frp, District de la Vevêse ) is one of seven districts in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It has a population of (as of ). It takes its name from the river Ve ...
Aubonne
Aubonne () is a municipality in the district of Morges in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. In 2011 the former municipality of Pizy merged into Aubonne and on 1 January 2021 Montherod merged into it.
History
The municipality was settled v ...
, the
Morges
Morges (; la, Morgiis, plural, probably ablative, else dative; frp, Môrges) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud and the seat of the district of Morges. It is located on Lake Geneva.
History
Morges is first mentioned in 1288 as ' ...
, among other smaller rivers.
Lake Geneva ends in the city of Geneva, where the lake level is controlled by the . The average discharge from Lake Geneva is . Below the dam, the Rhône receives the waters of the
Arve
The Arve (french: L'Arve, ) is a river in France (''département'' of Haute-Savoie), and Switzerland (canton of Geneva). A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long, of which 9 km in Switzerland. Its catchment area is , of which 80 km2 ...
, fed by the
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and ...
massif, with a visibly higher sediment load and much lower temperature.
After a total of in Switzerland, the Rhône continues west, entering France and the southern Jura Mountains. It turns toward the south, past Lac de Bourget, which the Rhône drains via the
Canal de Savières
The Canal de Savières () is a canal in eastern France. It joins the Lac du Bourget to the Rhône at Chanaz. It is long with one lock.Valserine
The river Valserine () is a tributary of the Rhône that flows for from the Col de la Faucille in the Jura Mountains to its confluence with the Rhône at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. The Valserine Valley has great charm; it includes the Pont des Pie ...
, enters the reservoir created by the
Génissiat Dam
The Génissiat Dam (French language, French: ''Barrage de Génissiat'') is a hydroelectric dam on the Rhône in France near the village of Injoux-Génissiat.
Construction began in 1937, but was delayed by World War II, and the dam did not start ge ...
, and is then joined by the
Ain
Ain (, ; frp, En) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where ...
.
Reaching
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
, the most populous city on its course, the Rhône receives its biggest tributary, the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
, with an average flow of , compared to the Rhône's at this point. From this confluence, the Rhône follows a southward course. Along the Rhône Valley, it is joined on the right (western) bank by the rivers
Eyrieux
The Eyrieux () is a tributary of the Rhône in the Ardèche department, France. The Eyrieux runs for . It begins in the Massif Central and joins the Rhône just downstream of Valence.
The Eyrieux has at least three distinct landscapes. Above Le ...
Cèze
The Cèze (; oc, Céser) is a karstic French river, a right tributary of the Rhône. It runs through the departments of Lozère and Gard in the Occitanie region. It is long, and its basin area is . Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, ...
, and
Gardon
The Gardon or Gard ( Occitan and French: ''Gardon, Gard'', , ) is a river in southern France. It is the namesake of the department of Gard. Several of its tributaries are also called ''Gardon''. It is long, and takes its source in the commu ...
coming from the Cévennes mountains; and on the left bank by the rivers Isère, (with an average discharge of ),
Drôme
Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.
,
Ouvèze
The Ouvèze (; oc, Ovesa) is a river in southern France and left tributary of the Rhône. It rises in the southern French Prealps (the Baronnies), in the commune of Montauban-sur-l'Ouvèze. It flows into the Rhône in Sorgues, north of Avignon. It ...
, and Durance () from the Alps.
From Lyon, the Rhône flows south, in its large valley between the Alps and the
Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...
. At
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
, the Rhône divides into two major arms forming the
Camargue
Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the '' ...
delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also ...
, both branches flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, the delta being termed the Rhône Fan. The larger arm is called the "Grand Rhône", the smaller the "Petit Rhône". The average annual discharge at Beaucaire is .
Tributaries
The main tributaries of the Rhône are, from source to mouth:
* Massa (right)
*
Vispa
The Vispa is a river in the canton of Valais, located in the Visp area. It is essentially composed of two large branches: the Matter Vispa and the Saaser Vispa, converging at Stalden, then forming the Vispa proper, flowing for less than before ...
(left)
*
Drance
The Drance (french: La Drance/Dranse, ) is a river in Valais, Switzerland with a length of to the confluence with the Rhône, a maximum length of . It has a drainage basin of . The river is formed from the confluence of the ''Dranse d'Entremon ...
(left)
* Trient (left)
* Venoge (right, Lake Geneva)
* Dranse (left, Lake Geneva)
*
Hermance
Hermance () is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.
History
Hermance is first mentioned in 1247 as ''intra Armentia''. In 1271 it was mentioned as ''Eremencia''.
Geography
Hermance has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% ...
(left, Lake Geneva)
*
Versoix
Versoix () is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, which sits on the north-west side of Lake Geneva, north-east of the city of Geneva.
Geography
Versoix has an area, , of . Of this area, or 29.1% is used for agricultural purpo ...
(right, Lake Geneva)
*
Arve
The Arve (french: L'Arve, ) is a river in France (''département'' of Haute-Savoie), and Switzerland (canton of Geneva). A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long, of which 9 km in Switzerland. Its catchment area is , of which 80 km2 ...
Valserine
The river Valserine () is a tributary of the Rhône that flows for from the Col de la Faucille in the Jura Mountains to its confluence with the Rhône at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. The Valserine Valley has great charm; it includes the Pont des Pie ...
(right)
*
Fier
Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Fier County and Fier Municipality. It is situated on the bank of Gjanica River in the Myzeqe Plain between the Seman in the north, the Vjos ...
(left)
*
Guiers
The Guiers () is a river in the Isère and Savoie departments of eastern France. It is long. It rises in the Chartreuse Mountains. The part upstream from the confluence with the Guiers Vif
The Guiers Vif (, literally ''live Guiers'') is a rive ...
(left)
*
Bourbre
The Bourbre () is a long river in the Isère and Rhône departments in central eastern France. Its source is in Burcin. It flows generally north-northwest. It is a left tributary of the Rhône, into which it flows at Chavanoz.
Departments a ...
(left)
*
Ain
Ain (, ; frp, En) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where ...
(right)
*
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
Gère
The Gère is a tributary of the Rhône in the Isère department of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (France). Its source is in a pond of the Grand Tuilière in the eastern part of the Bonnevaux forest. It flows into the Rhone at Vienne
Vienne (; Po ...
(left)
*
Galaure
The Galaure () is a long river in the Isère and Drôme departments in southeastern France. Its source is in Roybon. It flows generally west-southwest. It is a left tributary of the Rhône, into which it flows at Saint-Vallier.
Departments and ...
Eyrieux
The Eyrieux () is a tributary of the Rhône in the Ardèche department, France. The Eyrieux runs for . It begins in the Massif Central and joins the Rhône just downstream of Valence.
The Eyrieux has at least three distinct landscapes. Above Le ...
(right)
*
Drôme
Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.
Cèze
The Cèze (; oc, Céser) is a karstic French river, a right tributary of the Rhône. It runs through the departments of Lozère and Gard in the Occitanie region. It is long, and its basin area is . Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, ...
(right)
*
Aigues
The Aigues (), Aigue, Aygues or Eygues is a French river, a tributary of the Rhône. It runs through the departments of Drôme, Hautes-Alpes and Vaucluse. Its source is in the Baronnies mountains. It flows through Verclause, Sahune, Nyons, and ...
(left)
*
Ouvèze
The Ouvèze (; oc, Ovesa) is a river in southern France and left tributary of the Rhône. It rises in the southern French Prealps (the Baronnies), in the commune of Montauban-sur-l'Ouvèze. It flows into the Rhône in Sorgues, north of Avignon. It ...
Gardon
The Gardon or Gard ( Occitan and French: ''Gardon, Gard'', , ) is a river in southern France. It is the namesake of the department of Gard. Several of its tributaries are also called ''Gardon''. It is long, and takes its source in the commu ...
(right)
History
The Rhône has been an important highway since the times of the
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
and
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. It was the main trade route from the Mediterranean to east-central
Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
. As such, it helped convey Greek cultural influences to the western
Hallstatt
Hallstatt ( , , ) is a small town in the district of Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Situated between the southwestern shore of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the Salzkammergut ...
and the later La Tène cultures.Celtic tribes living near the Rhône included the
Seduni
The Seduni were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper Rhône valley, around present-day Sion, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Along with the Nantuates, Veragri and Uberi, they were part of the Vallenses, a group of tribes living betwe ...
, Sequani,
Segobriges
The Segobrigii or Segobriges were a Celto-Ligurian people dwelling in the hinterland of the Greek colony of Massalia (modern Marseille) during the Iron Age.
They are mentioned in the founding myth of Massalia, recounted by the Greek philosopher A ...
,
Allobroges
The Allobroges (Gaulish: *''Allobrogis'', 'foreigner, exiled'; grc, Ἀλλοβρίγων, Ἀλλόβριγες) were a Gallic people dwelling in a large territory between the Rhône river and the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
...
,
Segusiavi
The Segusiavī (Gaulish: *''Segusiauī/Segusiawī'') were a Gallic tribe dwelling around the modern city of Feurs ( Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Segusiavis'' by Caesar (mid-1st ...
Vocontii
The Vocontii (Gaulish: *''Uocontioi''; Greek: Οὐοκόντιοι, Οὐοκοντίων) were a Gallic people dwelling on the western foothills of the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Vocontii settled in the region in the 3r ...
and
Volcae Arecomici
The Arecomici or Volcae Arecomici were a Gallic tribe dwelling between the Rhône and the Hérault rivers, around present-day Nîmes, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
The meaning of the ethnonym ''Arecomici'' remains unclear. The ...
.
Navigation was difficult, as the river suffered from fierce currents, shallows, floods in spring and early summer when the ice was melting, and droughts in late summer. Until the 19th century, passengers travelled in ''coches d'eau'' (water coaches) drawn by men or horses, or under sail. Most travelled with a painted cross covered with religious symbols as protection against the hazards of the journey.
Trade on the upper river used ''barques du Rhône'', sailing barges, , with a capacity. As many as 50 to 80 horses were employed to haul trains of five to seven craft upstream. Goods would be transshipped at Arles into sailing barges called ''allèges d'Arles'' for the final run down to the Mediterranean.
The first experimental steam boat was built at Lyon by
Jouffroy d'Abbans Jouffroy is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Alain Jouffroy (1928–2015), French writer, poet and artist
* Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans (1751–1832), French inventor
*François Jouffroy (1806–1882 ...
in 1783. Regular services were not started until 1829 and they continued until 1952. Steam passenger vessels long made up to and could do the downstream run from Lyon to Arles in a day. Cargo was hauled in ''bateau-anguilles'', boats with paddle wheels amidships, and ''bateaux crabes'', a huge toothed "claw"wheel across to grip the river bed in the shallows to supplement the paddle wheels. In the 20th century, powerful motor barges propelled by diesel engines were introduced, carrying .
In 1933, the
Compagnie Nationale du Rhône
The Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) is a French electricity generation company, mainly supplying renewable power from hydroelectric facilities on the Rhone.
Operations
Established in 1933, as of 2009 the company derives most of its power fr ...
(CNR) was established to improve navigation and generate electricity, also to develop irrigated agriculture and to protect the riverside towns and land from flooding. Some progress was made in deepening the navigation channel and constructing scouring walls, but
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
brought such work to a halt. In 1942, following the collapse of
Vichy France
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its te ...
, Italian military forces occupied southeastern France up to the eastern banks of the Rhône, as part of the Italian Fascist regime's expansionist agenda.
Postwar development
In 1948, the French government started construction of a series of dams and diversion canals, with a navigation lock beside the hydroelectric power plant on each of these canals. The locks were up to deep. After building the
Génissiat dam
The Génissiat Dam (French language, French: ''Barrage de Génissiat'') is a hydroelectric dam on the Rhône in France near the village of Injoux-Génissiat.
Construction began in 1937, but was delayed by World War II, and the dam did not start ge ...
on the Upper Rhône (with no lock) in 1948, designed to meet the electricity needs of Paris, twelve hydroelectric plants and locks were built between 1964 and 1980. With a total head of , they produce 13 GWh of electricity annually, or 16% of the country's total hydroelectric production (20% if the Upper Rhône schemes are added). There have been significant benefits for agriculture throughout the Rhône valley.
With the Lower Rhône project completed, CNR turned its attention to the Haut-Rhône (Upper Rhône), and built four hydropower dams in the 1980s: Sault-Brénaz, Brégnier-Cordon, Belley-Brens and Chautagne. It also drew up plans for the high-capacity Rhine-Rhône Waterway, along the route of the existing Canal du Rhône au Rhin, but this project was abandoned in 1997. In the period from 2005 to 2010, navigation locks of small barge dimensions (40 by 6 m) were built to bypass the last two, forming a navigable waterway network with Lake Bourget, through the
Canal de Savières
The Canal de Savières () is a canal in eastern France. It joins the Lac du Bourget to the Rhône at Chanaz. It is long with one lock.
*
Oberwald
Oberwald is a village in the municipality of Obergoms in Goms District in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It is situated at an elevation of 1,377 m and had a population of 277 in December 2007. It is located at the end of the Goms, direct ...
(
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
(Valais)
*
Leuk
Leuk (french: Loèche-Ville) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for ...
(Valais)
*
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Isère)
*
Tournon-sur-Rhône
Tournon-sur-Rhône (; oc, Tornon) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. It is one of the most populous commune in the Ardèche department, after Annonay, Aubenas, and Guilherand-Granges.
Geography
It is located on the ...
Tain-l'Hermitage
Tain-l'Hermitage (; oc, Tinh de l'Ermitatge or ), commonly known as Tain, is a commune in the French department of Drôme, southeastern France.
Geography
It is located on the left bank of the river Rhône, opposite Tournon-sur-Rhône, which is l ...
(
Drôme
Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.
Saint-Péray
Saint-Péray (; oc, Sant Pèire d'Ai) is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southern France.
Population
See also
* Château de Crussol, located on the territory of the commune.
*Communes of the Ard ...
and
Guilherand-Granges
Guilherand-Granges () is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. It is a suburb of Valence, Drôme. It is one of the most populous commune in the Ardéche department, after Annonay and Aubenas, and before Tournon-sur-Rhône.
...
(Ardèche)
*
Montélimar
Montélimar (; Vivaro-Alpine: ''Montelaimar'' ; la, Acumum) is a town in the Drôme department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in north Provence, Southeastern France. It is the second-largest city in the department after Valence. In 2018 ...
(Drôme) opposite
Le Teil
Le Teil () is a commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality ...
and
Rochemaure
Rochemaure (; oc, Ròchamaura) is a commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative divi ...
Bourg-Saint-Andéol
Bourg-Saint-Andéol (; oc, Bourg-Sant-Andiòu) is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Rhône Valley in southern France.
Geography
It lies directly along the river Rhône at the southeast end of the department south of the smaller tow ...
(Ardèche)
*
Pont-Saint-Esprit
Pont-Saint-Esprit (, literally "Holy Spirit Bridge"; oc, Lo Pònt Sant Esperit) is a commune in the Gard département in southern France. It is situated on the river Rhône and is the site of a historical crossing, hence its name. The Ardèche f ...
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape (; Provençal: Castèu-Nòu-De-Papo) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. The village lies about to the east of the Rhône and north of the town of Avi ...
(
Vaucluse
Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label= Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.Avignon (Vaucluse) opposite
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (; Provençal: ''Vilanòva d’Avinhon'') is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It can also be spelled ''Villeneuve-lez-Avignon''.
History
In the 6th century the Benedictine abbey of St André was foun ...
Tarascon
Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Taras ...
(
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône ( , , ; oc, Bocas de Ròse ; "Mouths of the Rhône") is a department in Southern France. It borders Vaucluse to the north, Gard to the west and Var to the east. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Its prefecture and ...
)
*
Vallabrègues
Vallabrègues (; oc, Valabrega) is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.
Geography
Vallabrègues is the only commune of the Gard department located on the left bank of the river Rhône. It is located opposite the part of the t ...
(Gard)
*
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
(Bouches-du-Rhône)
See also
*
List of rivers of Europe
This article lists the principal rivers of Europe with their main tributaries.
Scope
The border of Europe and Asia is here defined as from the Kara Sea, along the Ural Mountains and Ural River to the Caspian Sea. While the crest of the Caucas ...
*
Berges du Rhône
The ' (Banks of the Rhône) or ' (Quays of the Rhône) refer to a series of parks, quays, streets and walking paths along the Rhône river in Lyon, France. The construction for the modern Berges du Rhône took place between 2005 and 2007, result ...
Rhône (wine region)
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
*
Witenwasserenstock
The Witenwasserenstock (3,082 m) is a peak between the Swiss cantons of Valais and Uri, located in the Lepontine Alps. Close to the summit lies the tripoint border between the cantons of Valais, Uri and Ticino and the triple watershed of the R ...
(triple watershed: Rhône-Rhine-Po)
References
Further reading
* Scans Volume 3 (1861) (''Bassin du Rhône'' starts at page 185) Volume 4 (1862)
*
*.
* A social, environmental, and technological history of the transformation of the river since 1945.