Vienne (river)

The Vienne (Occitan: Vinhana) is a major river in south-western France. It is 363 km (226 mi) long.[1] It is a significant left tributary of the lower Loire. It supports numerous hydro-electric dams, and it is the main river of the northern part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Vienne
Vinhana  (Occitan)
The Vienne in Limoges
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationPlateau de Millevaches
 • elevation880 m (2,890 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Loire
 • coordinates
47°12′45″N 0°4′31″E
Length363 km (226 mi)
Basin size21,105 km2 (8,149 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average203 m3/s (7,200 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionLoire→ Atlantic Ocean
The Vienne in wooded landscape near Peyrelevade, close to its source on the Millevaches Massif

Two French departments are named after the Vienne: Haute-Vienne (87) in the Limousin region and Vienne (86) both in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Course

The Vienne rises as a spring in the department of Corrèze, at the foot of Mont Audouze, on the Plateau de Millevaches, near Peyrelevade. It then flows roughly west to the city of Limoges where it once played a major role in the famous Limoges porcelain industry. A little way after Limoges it takes a turn to the north. En route to its confluence with the Loire, the Vienne is joined by the rivers Creuse and Clain. Finally, after a journey of 372 km it reaches the Loire at Candes-Saint-Martin in the department of Indre-et-Loire.

The Vienne flows through the following departments and towns:

Tributaries include:

References
  1. Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - La Vienne (L---0060)".
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