Eyrieux (river)

Eyrieux
Basin
Progression	Rhône→ Mediterranean Sea
Main source	Massif Central
Source elevation	110m
River mouth	Rhône 44°48′25″N 4°48′3″E / 44.80694°N 4.80083°ECoordinates: 44°48′25″N 4°48′3″E / 44.80694°N 4.80083°E
Countries	France
Physiognomy
Length	83 km

The Eyrieux River is a tributary of the Rhône River in Europe. The Eyrieux runs for 83 kilometres (52 mi). It begins in the Massif Central and joins the Rhône in the Rhône Valley just downstream of Valence.

The Eyrieux has at least three distinct landscapes. Above Le Cheylard, the plateau is marked by the sugarloaf cones of old volcanoes, and the land is used mostly for raising cattle and sheep. In its middle section, down to Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut and Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux, the river is torrential and prone to flash floods and extreme variation. Formerly used for silk mills, it is now used for micro-hydroelectric production, and is a popular spot for canoeing. The river never dries up in summer, as the many dams and barrages maintain a steady flow. The lower section to the Rhône, at Beauchastel and La Voulte-sur-Rhône, opens into the valley and allows intensive farming, especially peach orchards which are best viewed when the trees bloom in the spring.

References

• http://www.geoportail.fr
• The Eyrieux at the Sandre database