Tarn River
Overview
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(régions
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
and Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
), right tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
.
The Tarn runs in a roughly west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
erly direction, from its source at an altitude of 1,550 m on Mont Lozère
Mont Lozère
Mont Lozère is the highest peak in the Cévennes National Park of France. There is also a secondary peak, at .Mont Lozère is commonly used for skiing during the winter months. It is also a popular destination for school/college/university groups during the summer months . It offers some stunning...
in the Cévennes
Cévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
mountains (part of the Massif Central
Massif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
), through the deep gorges and canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s of the Gorges du Tarn
Gorges du Tarn
The Gorges du Tarn is a canyon formed by the Tarn River between the Causse Méjean and the Causse de Sauveterre, in southern France. The canyon, mainly located in the Lozère département, and partially in the Aveyron département, is about -long and 400m to 600m deep.-Geography:The architecture of...
(that cuts through the Causse du Larzac), to Moissac
Moissac
Moissac is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is famous world-wide mostly for the artistic heritage handed down by the ancient Saint-Pierre Abbey.-History:...
in Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
, where it joins the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
4 km (2.5 mi) downstream from the centre of town.
Its basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
covers approximately 12,000 km², and it has a mean flow of approximately 140 m³ per second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
.
The Millau Viaduct
Millau Viaduct
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the British architect Norman Foster and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at . It is the...
spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau
Millau
Millau is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers.-History:...
, and is now one of the area's most popular attractions.
The tributaries of the Tarn include:
- AgoutAgoutThe Agout is a 195 km long river in south-western France, left tributary of the Tarn River. Its source is in the southern Massif Central, in the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc...
(in Saint-SulpiceSaint-Sulpice, TarnSaint-Sulpice is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-References:*...
) - Alrance
- AveyronAveyron RiverThe Aveyron is a 291 km long river in southern France, right tributary of the Tarn River. It rises in the southern Massif Central, near Sévérac-le-Château....
(near MontaubanMontaubanMontauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
) - Cernon
- DourbieDourbieDourbie is also a tributary of the Hérault river-----The Dourbie is a 72 km long river in southern France, left tributary of the Tarn River. Its source is north of Le Vigan, in the Cévennes...
(in MillauMillauMillau is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers.-History:...
) - Dourdou de CamarèsDourdou de CamarèsThe Dourdou de Camarès is an long river in the Tarn, Hérault and Aveyron départements, southern France. Its source is in the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc, in the commune of Murat-sur-Vèbre, southeast of the village. It flows generally northwest...
- Jonte (in Le RozierLe RozierLe Rozier is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.-See also:*Communes of the Lozère department...
) - Lemboulas
- Lumensonesque
- Muze
- RanceRanceis a series of Japan-exclusive eroge computer role-playing games by Alice Soft featuring the title character, Rance. Starting in 1989, the series has lasted for 20 years, making it one of the longest running adult themed games ever.-Rance:...
(near TrébasTrébasTrébas is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-References:*...
) - Tarnon (in FloracFloracFlorac is a commune of the Lozère department in southern France.-Twin towns:Florac is twinned with:* L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec, Canada since 1984* Arbucies, Catalonia, Spain since 1987-References:* -External links:...
) - Tescou
The Tarn separates the Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
basins.
The Tarn passes through the following departments and towns:
- LozèreLozèreLozère , is a department in southeast France near the Massif Central, named after Mont Lozère.- History :Lozère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
: Le Pont-de-MontvertLe Pont-de-MontvertLe Pont-de-Montvert is a commune in the Lozère département in southern France.It is located in the heart of the Parc National des Cévennes. The inhabitants of Le Pont-de-Montvert are called Pontoises or Montvertipontains.-History:...
, Sainte-EnimieSainte-EnimieSainte-Enimie is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.The commune contains 25 hamlets and villages, including:* Sainte-Enimie * Boisset* Castelbouc* Champerboux* Hauterives* Prades* Pougnadoires* Saint-Chély-du-Tarn... - AveyronAveyronAveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River.- History :Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790....
: MillauMillauMillau is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers.-History:... - Tarn: Albi, GaillacGaillacGaillac is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-Geography of Gaillac:Gaillac is a town situated between Toulouse, Albi and Monatauban. It has gained a large amount of recognition due to the wines that bear the towns name. The Tarn river runs along the border of the town by the...
, Lisle-sur-TarnLisle-sur-TarnLisle-sur-Tarn is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-Geography:The city is located halfway between Toulouse and Albi on the A68 motorway, in the Gaillac vineyard, on the banks of the Tarn. Historically speaking, it is also located on one of the ancient Ways of St...
, RabastensRabastensRabastens is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-References:*... - Haute-GaronneHaute-GaronneHaute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
: Villemur-sur-TarnVillemur-sur-TarnVillemur-sur-Tarn is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*... - Tarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
: MontaubanMontaubanMontauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
, MoissacMoissacMoissac is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is famous world-wide mostly for the artistic heritage handed down by the ancient Saint-Pierre Abbey.-History:...
.
The Millau Viaduct
Millau Viaduct
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the British architect Norman Foster and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at . It is the...
, the tallest bridge in the world, carrying the A75 autoroute
A75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
across the Tarn Gorge near Millau, opened in December 2004.
The Tarn is famous for its brutal floodings, which are the most dangerous in Europe along with the Danube River.
