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Barrage de Pierre-Bénite (69) © Eric Soudan / Ile de la Chèvre et Ampuis (69) © CONIB-MVAn exceptional river
The Rhône, one of Europe’s principal rivers, is the most powerful river in France. It is ranked 48th in the world in terms of average flow (1800 m3/second at the mouth of the river), which ranks the Rhône just after the Amazon River, the Mekong and the Congo. The Rhône flows for 812 kilometres from its source at the base of the Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, and constitutes a veritable backbone for the territories it crosses.
The Rhône is a vital resource for the populations surrounding it; its fertile silts enrich the soil for farming and its waters allow for irrigation. The sediments carried by the river have been used as raw materials in construction and its current provides power to hydroelectric plants. The Rhône also provides the water needed by the populations and industries located near its banks. It serves as a territorial link, through navigation on the river or road transportation along the Rhône corridor. For thousands of years, the river has served as a means of transportation for people and merchandise. Thus the Rhône valley, with a river system, two national roadways, a motorway, three rail lines (one of which is a high speed line), an oil pipeline, a gas pipeline and numerous factories, is the most highly developed valley in Europe ; a vital axis for circulation and industrial activity.
