The Vire () is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

whose course crosses the ''

départements A department (, ) is an administrative or political division in several countries. Departments are the first-level divisions of 11 countries, nine in the Americas and two in Africa. An additional 10 countries use departments as second-level div ...

'' of

Calvados Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples or pears, or from apples with pears. History In France Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Norm ...

and

Manche Manche (, ) is a coastal French département in Normandy, on the English Channel, which is known as ''La Manche'', literally "the sleeve", in French. It had a population of 495,045 in 2019.Vire Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie. Geography The town is located on the river Vire. Much of it ...

Saint-Lô Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy.Isigny-sur-Mer Isigny-sur-Mer (, literally ''Isigny on Sea'') is a commune in the Calvados department and Normandy region of north-western France. It is part of the communauté de communes Isigny-Omaha Intercom, the 59 communes of which have a combined pop ...

, finally flowing out into the

English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...

. Its main tributaries are the Aure, the

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

and the

Souleuvre The Souleuvre () is a 19.0 km long right affluent of the Vire in Normandy, northwestern France. Geography It crops at Montchamp near the hamlets of Lamerie, la Druerie and la Saffrie, 9 km to the east of Le Bény-Bocage and arrives a ...

. The outflow of the Vire has been canalized and forms the port of Isigny-sur-Mer. The poets of the Vire valley (''Vau de Vire'') are said to have given rise to

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

. Places along the river: *

(14) :

Vire Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie. Geography The town is located on the river Vire. Much of it ...

Pont-Farcy Pont-Farcy () is a former commune in the Manche department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Before 1 January 2018, it was part of the Calvados department. On 1 January 2018, it was merged into the commune of Tessy-Bocage.

Isigny-sur-Mer Isigny-sur-Mer (, literally ''Isigny on Sea'') is a commune in the Calvados department and Normandy region of north-western France. It is part of the communauté de communes Isigny-Omaha Intercom, the 59 communes of which have a combined pop ...

Manche Manche (, ) is a coastal French département in Normandy, on the English Channel, which is known as ''La Manche'', literally "the sleeve", in French. It had a population of 495,045 in 2019.Tessy-sur-Vire Tessy-sur-Vire (, literally ''Tessy on Vire'') is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Tessy-Bocage.Troisgots Troisgots () is a former Communes of France, commune in the Manche Departments of France, department in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Condé-sur-Vire.

Torigni-sur-Vire Torigni-sur-Vire (, literally ''Torigni on Vire'') is a former commune in the Manche department, Normandy, northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Torigny-les-Villes.Condé-sur-Vire Condé-sur-Vire (, literally ''Condé on Vire'') is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Le Mesnil-Raoult was merged into Condé-sur-Vire. On 1 January 2017, the former ...

Sainte-Suzanne-sur-Vire Sainte-Suzanne-sur-Vire (, literally ''Sainte-Suzanne on Vire'') is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Manche department The following is a list of the 446 Communes of France, com ...

Saint-Lô Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy.Rampan Rampan () is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Manche department The following is a list of the 446 Communes of France, communes of the Manche Departments of France, department of France. Th ...

Pont-Hébert Pont-Hébert () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2018, the former commune of Le Hommet-d'Arthenay was merged into Pont-Hébert.La Meauffe La Meauffe () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History The 11 and 12 July 1944, the village was attacked by the American 35th ID, while defended by the German 352 ID and units of the 266 ID. The fight ...

Cavigny Cavigny () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Manche department The following is a list of the 446 Communes of France, communes of the Manche Departments of France, department o ...

Hydrology and water quality

The generally brownish waters of the Vire are moderately

alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a base (chemistry), basic, ionic compound, ionic salt (chemistry), salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as ...

having been tested by Lumina Tech as pH 8.31. The river waters are relatively

turbid Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality. Fluids can ...

, with a

Secchi disc The Secchi disk (or Secchi disc), as created in 1865 by Angelo Secchi, is a plain white, circular disk in diameter used to measure water transparency or turbidity in bodies of water. The disc is mounted on a pole or line, and lowered slowly down ...

measurement of 12 centimetres.

Historical significance

At the turn of the 10th century, the territorial lands of the

Kingdom of Brittany The Kingdom of Brittany was a short-lived vassal-state of the Frankish Empire that emerged during the Norse invasions. Its history begins in 851 with Erispoe's claim to kingship. In 856, Erispoe was murdered and succeeded by his cousin Salomon. ...

had been expanded up to the Vire by their king

Alan I Alan I may refer to: * Alan I, King of Brittany (died 907) * Alan I, Viscount of Rohan Alan I of Rohan (1084–1147), also known as ''Alain le Noir'', was the 1st Viscount de Rohan and Viscount of Castelnoec. He was the third son of Odo I, Vi ...

References

External links

* ''Atlas des Routes de France'', Solar Press: Donnees IGN (2007) * Hogan, C. Michael, ''Water quality of freshwater bodies in France'', Lumina Tech Press, Aberdeen, Scotland (2006) Rivers of France Rivers of Normandy Rivers of Calvados (department) Rivers of Manche 0Vire {{France-river-stub