Cher (river)
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Cher | |
---|---|
![]() The Cher | |
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Native name | Cher (French) |
Location | |
Country | France |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Massif Central |
• elevation | 762 m (2,500 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Loire |
• coordinates | 47°20′33″N 0°28′49″E / 47.34250°N 0.48028°E |
Length | 367.8 km (228.5 mi) |
Basin size | 13,718 km2 (5,297 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• average | 104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Loire→ Atlantic Ocean |
The Cher (French pronunciation: [ʃɛʁ] ; Occitan: Char), also referred to as the Cher River[1] and the River Cher,[2] is a river in central France, a left tributary of the Loire. It is 367.8 km (228.5 mi) long and its basin area is 13,718 km2 (5,297 sq mi).[3] Its source is in the Creuse department, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire at Villandry, west of Tours.
The river suffered a devastating flood in 1940, which damaged the Château de Chenonceau, which spans the river, and other structures along the banks. It owes its name to the pre-Indo-European root kʰar 'stone'.
Departments and towns
The Cher flows through the following departments, and along the following towns:[3]
Tributaries
The main tributaries of the Cher are, from spring to mouth (L: left / R: right):
- (L) Tardes
- (L) Voueize
- (R) Amaron or Lamaron at Montluçon
- (R) Aumance at Meaulne
- (R) Yèvre at Vierzon
- (L) Arnon at Vierzon
- (L) Théols
- (R) Sauldre at Selles-sur-Cher
- (L) Fouzon above Saint-Aignan
Navigation
The Cher was part of a network of waterways that linked the city of Tours to Nevers, where connections to other regions of France existed. As of 2018[update], only the 54 kilometres (34 mi) section between Larçay (southeast of Tours) and Noyers-sur-Cher is navigable for small boats (maximum draft 80 cm). It has 14 locks.[4] At Noyers-sur-Cher, it is connected with the Canal de Berry, of which only the westernmost 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) section until Selles-sur-Cher is navigable.[5]
References
- ^ "Cher River", Encyclopedia Britannica online.
- ^ "Chenonceaux", Fodor's Essential France, 2019, p. 282.
- ^ a b Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - Cher (K---0090)".
- ^ Fluviacarte, Cher
- ^ Fluviacarte, Canal de Berry
- Tributaries of the Loire
- Rivers of France
- Cher basin
- Rivers of Allier
- Rivers of Cher (department)
- Rivers of Creuse
- Rivers of Indre-et-Loire
- Rivers of Loir-et-Cher
- Rivers of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Rivers of Centre-Val de Loire
- Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes geography stubs
- Centre-Val de Loire geography stubs
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine geography stubs
- France river stubs