Rhône
Major river in Switzerland and France / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Rhône (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Rhine.
The Rhône (/roʊn/ ROHN, French: [ʁon] ⓘ)[1] is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Arles, near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (French: le Grand Rhône) and the Little Rhône (le Petit Rhône). The resulting delta forms the Camargue region.
Quick Facts Native name, Location ...
Rhône | |
---|---|
Native name | |
Location | |
Countries | Switzerland and France |
Cities | |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Rhône Glacier |
• location | Obergoms, Valais, Switzerland |
• elevation | 2,208 m (7,244 ft) |
Mouth | Mediterranean Sea |
• location | France |
• coordinates | 43°19′51″N 4°50′44″E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 813.69 km (505.60 mi) |
Basin size | 98,000 km2 (38,000 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• average | 1,710 m3/s (60,000 cu ft/s) |
• minimum | 360 m3/s (13,000 cu ft/s) |
• maximum | 13,000 m3/s (460,000 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Isère, Durance |
• right | Ain, Saône |
Close
The river's source is the Rhône Glacier, at the east edge of the Swiss canton of Valais. The glacier is part of the Saint-Gotthard Massif, which gives rise to three other major rivers: the Reuss, Rhine and Ticino.
The Rhône is, with the Po and the Nile, one of the three Mediterranean rivers with the largest water discharge.[2]