Vilaine

Vilaine

The Vilaine in Rennes.
Native name La Vilaine
Basin
Main source Juvigné, Mayenne
48°13′46″N 01°03′11″W / 48.22944°N 1.05306°W / 48.22944; -1.05306
Source elevation 175 m
River mouth Atlantic Ocean
47°30′20″N 2°29′57″W / 47.50556°N 2.49917°W / 47.50556; -2.49917 (Atlantic Ocean-Vilaine)Coordinates: 47°30′20″N 2°29′57″W / 47.50556°N 2.49917°W / 47.50556; -2.49917 (Atlantic Ocean-Vilaine)
Watershed area 10,882 km²
Countries France
Physiognomy
Length 218.1 km
Avg. discharge 80 m³/s
The Vilaine in Bruz

The Vilaine (Breton: Gwilen) is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département (53), and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département (56). It is 218 km long. The river is joined to the Ille and the Rance by means of the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance by the commune of Rennes.

Course of the river

The river passes through 4 départements (Mayenne, Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique and Morbihan) and 4 main towns (Rennes, Vitré, Redon and La Roche-Bernard).

Three barrages were built around Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine to avoid floods, the drinkable water and leisure spaces:

Hydrology

The river has a flow ranging between 2 and 1500 m3/s

Navigation

The Vilaine is part of Brittany's canal system. The section from Rennes to the Atlantic Ocean is navigable for smaller craft. In Rennes the river connects to the Canal d'Ille et Rance, in Redon it crosses the Canal de Nantes à Brest. (Source: NoorderSoft Waterways Database)

Main tributaries

Vilaine Drainage Basin

References

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