Charente (river)

river in France

The Charente (Saintongeais: Chérente, Occitan: Charanta) is a river in southwestern France that flows through the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Two departments, Charente and Charente-Maritime, are named after the river.

Charente
Charanta  (Occitan)
The Charente in Tonnay-Charente
The Charente and its main tributaries
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
Source 
 - locationHaute-Vienne
Mouth 
 - locationAtlantic Ocean
 - coordinates45°57′24″N 1°4′56″W / 45.95667°N 1.08222°W / 45.95667; -1.08222
Length381 km (237 mi)
Basin size10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi)
Discharge 
 - average40 m3/s (1,400 cu ft/s)

It rises in the Massif Central and flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) near Rochefort.

Geography change

The Charente river has a length of 381.4 km (237 mi),[1] and a drainage basin with an area of approximately 9,855 km2 (3,805 sq mi).

Course change

The Charente river starts in western Massif Central, in the commune of Chéronnac, Haute-Vienne department, at an elevation of about 1,380 m (4,528 ft).[2] It flows to the northwest for about 12 km (7 mi) and then flows through the north of the Charente department.

The river keeps flowing to the northwest and gets into the Vienne department. After the commune of Civray, the river turns to the southwest and gets back into the Charente department. After Angoulême, the river turns west and, after Cognac, to the northwest.

Finally, the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Rochefort.[3]

The river is navigable (it is deep, wide and slow enough for a ship to pass), mainly with recreational boats from Angoulême to its mouth.

The Charente flows through 4 departments and 120 communes, all in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region:[1]

Main tributaries change

The main tributaries of the Charente river are:[1]

Left tributaries:

  • Moulde - 18.1 km
  • Argent-Or - 28.9 km
  • Son-Sonnette - 35.1 km
  • Bonnieure - 46.8 km
  • Touvre - 11.7 km
  • Charreau - 17.4 km
  • Boème - 23.1 km
  • Né - 66.1 km
  • Seugne - 82.4 km

Right tributaries:

  • Transon - 22.4 km
  • Péruse - 23.9 km
  • Aume - 32.2 km
  • Soloire - 34.9 km
  • Antenne - 48.3 km
  • Boutonne - 98.8 km
  • Devise - 35.7 km

Gallery change

Related pages change

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "La Charente (R---0000)" (in French). SANDRE - Portail national d'accès aux référentiels sur l'eau. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  2. "Source de la Charente" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. "Confluence de la Charente" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 16 July 2016.[permanent dead link]

Other websites change