Sarthe (river)
Appearance
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (July 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Sarthe | |
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![]() The navigable river Sarthe between Morannes and Chemiré-sur-Sarthe | |
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Native name | La Sarthe (French) |
Location | |
Country | France |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Perche |
• elevation | 250 m (820 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Maine |
• coordinates | 47°29′35″N 0°32′34″W / 47.49306°N 0.54278°W |
Length | 313.9 km (195.0 mi) |
Basin size | 7,864 km2 (3,036 sq mi)* |
Discharge | |
• average | 80 m3/s (2,800 cu ft/s)* |
Basin features | |
Progression | Maine→ Loire→ Atlantic Ocean |
Notes | *excluding Loir |
The Sarthe (French pronunciation: [saʁt] ) is a 313.9-kilometre-long (195.0 mi) river in western France.[1] Together with the river Mayenne it forms the river Maine, which is a tributary to the river Loire.
Its source is in the Orne department, near Moulins-la-Marche. It flows generally southwest, through the following departments and towns:
- Orne: Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe, Alençon
- Sarthe: Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, Le Mans, Sablé-sur-Sarthe
- Maine-et-Loire: Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe, Tiercé, Angers
Its main tributaries are the Loir and the Huisne from the left, and the Vaige, the Erve and the Vègre from the right.[1]
![Sarthe location map](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Sarthe_river.jpg/220px-Sarthe_river.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Rive_gauche_de_la_Sarthe.jpg/220px-Rive_gauche_de_la_Sarthe.jpg)
Navigation
The Sarthe has 20 weirs and locks.[citation needed] The channel is well marked and navigation is straightforward, except for the risk of shoals in certain sections.
References
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarthe River.
- River Sarthe with further maps and expanded details (by the author of 'Inland Waterways of France')
- Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals (French waterways website section)