Creuse (river)
| Creuse | |
|---|---|
 Creuse River in Argenton-sur-Creuse | |
| Basin | |
| Progression | Vienne→ Loire→ Atlantic Ocean |
| Main source | Plateau de Millevaches |
| Source elevation | 932 m (3,058 ft) |
| River mouth |
Vienne 47°0′22″N 0°34′7″E / 47.00611°N 0.56861°ECoordinates: 47°0′22″N 0°34′7″E / 47.00611°N 0.56861°E |
| Watershed area | 9,570 km2 (3,690 sq mi) |
| Countries | France |
| Physiognomy | |
| Length | 264 km (164 mi) |
| Avg. discharge | 81 m3/s (2,900 cu ft/s) |
The Creuse (Occitan: Cruesa) is a 264-kilometre (164 mi) long river in western France, a tributary of the river Vienne. Its source is in the Plateau de Millevaches, a north-western extension of the Massif Central.
Course
The Creuse flows northwest through the following departments and towns:
- Creuse department (named after the river): Aubusson.
- Indre department: Argenton-sur-Creuse, Le Blanc.
- Indre-et-Loire department : Yzeures-sur-Creuse, Descartes
- Vienne department: La Roche-Posay
The Creuse flows into the river Vienne about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Châtellerault. A tributary of the river Creuse is the Gartempe.
The Creuse valley is the setting for paintings by the so-called Crozant School, including works by Armand Guillaumin and a series of vivid landscapes by the Bordeaux artist Alfred Smith.[1]
Dams and lakes
There are six hydroelectric dams on the river. Three are in the Creuse département with one at Chambon-Sainte-Croix above Anzeme, one at Les Chezelles near Le Bourg-d'Hem and one at L'Âge upstream of La Celle-Dunoise. The remaining three are in the Indre including the Éguzon dam which was opened in 1926 and was, at the time, the largest dam in Europe. The lakes created by the dams are popular tourist destinations and several have artificial beaches and leisure facilities.
Main tributaries
|
Left bank: |
Right bank:
|
References
- ↑ Hollis Koons McCullough, ed. (2005). "Alfred Smith". Telfair Museum of Art: collection highlights. University of Georgia Press. pp. 156–157. ISBN 0-933075-04-9.
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Creuse river. |