Saône

The Saône is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône river. It starts in the Vosges department and joins the Rhône in the city of Lyon.

Saône Sona  (Arpitan)
The Saône in Lyon by night
Course of the Saône
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source	Vioménil
- location	Vosges
- coordinates	48.094444°N 6.181944°E / 48.094444; 6.181944
- elevation	392 m (1,286 ft)
Mouth	Rhône
- location	Lyon, France
- coordinates	45°43′39″N 4°49′4″E
- elevation	158 m (518 ft)
Length	473 km (294 mi)
Discharge
- average	410 m3/s (14,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Rhône→ Mediterranean Sea
Tributaries
- left	Doubs, Lanterne
- right	Azergues, Morgon

Two French departments has the name of the river in their names: Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire, both in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.

Geography

The Saône river has a length of 480 km (298.3 mi) and a drainage basin with an area of 29,950 km² (11,564 sq mi).^[1]

Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 470 m³/s (17,000 cu ft/s) at Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or in the Metropolitan Lyon.^[2]

Average monthly discharge (m³/s) at Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or (13 years)^[2]

Course

The Saône river starts in the commune of Vioménil in the Vosges department, at an altitude of about 405 m (1,329 ft).^[3] The river flows in general to the south-southwest.

The Saône river flows through the 3 regions and 6 departments. It flows through the following communes, among others:^[1]

• Grand Est region
  • Vosges department: Darney, Monthureux-sur-Saône, Châtillon-sur-Saône.
• Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region
  • Haute-Saône: Jonvelle, Corre, Jussey, Port-sur-Saône, Scey-sur-Saône, Gray;
  • Côte-d'Or: Auxonne, Saint-Jean-de-Losne, Seurre;
  • Saône-et-Loire: Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, Mâcon, Crêches-sur-Saône.
• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
  • Ain: Thoissey, Jassans-Riottier, Trévoux;
  • Rhône: Belleville-sur-Saône, Villefranche-sur-Saône, Anse;
  • Metropolitan Lyon: Neuville-sur-Saône, Fontaines-sur-Saône, Caluire-et-Cuire, Lyon, La Mulatière.

The Saône river flows into the Rhône river as a right tributary in the city of Lyon.^[4]

Main tributaries

The main tributaries, over 40 km long, of the Saône river are:^[1]

Left tributaries: Côney - 55.2 km Lanterne - 64.3 km Durgeon - 42.4 km Ognon - 213.6 km Doubs - 452.8 km Seille - 100 km Reyssouze - 75.1 km Veyle - 66.8 km Chalaronne - 52.3 km

Right tributaries: Amance - 46.3 km Salon - 71.6 km Vingeanne - 93.3 km Tille - 82.7 km Ouche - 95.4 km Dheune - 66.7 Grosne - 95.6 km Azergues - 61.9 km

Gallery

• 
  The source of the Saône in Vioménil.
• 
  The Saône in Gray.
• 
  View over the Saône, Lyon.
• 
  The Saône river in Lyon by night.
• 
  Confluence of Saône and Doubs rivers.

Related pages

• List of rivers of France