The
Hérault is a
riverA 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...
of southern
FranceThe 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...
. Its length is 148 kilometres (92 mi). Its source is in the
CévennesThe 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. It reaches the
Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
near
AgdeAgde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
. The Hérault flows through the following
départements and towns:
Towns along the river
- Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
: ValleraugueValleraugue is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Geography:Valleraugue is located in a deep valley of the Cévennes mountains, on the Hérault River.-Population:-Personalities:Valleraugue was the birthplace of:...
.
- Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
(named after the river): GangesGanges is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-Location:Ganges is situated at the confuence of the Hérault and Rieutord rivers.-History:...
, PézenasPézenas is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon, southern France. At the 1999 census, its population was 7443.-Name:...
(nearby), AgdeAgde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
.
Tributaries
- Arre
- Vis
The Vis is a 57.9 km long river in south-central France, in the Languedoc-Roussillon région, right tributary of the Hérault River. Its source is in the Cévennes, near the village of Alzon. It flows between the Causse du Larzac and the Causse de Blandas into the Hérault département and the Gard...
- Rieutord
- Buèges
|
Lamalou
Lergue
Dourbie
Boyne |
Peyne
Thongue |
Navigation
The lower reaches of the Hérault, from
BessanBessan is a commune in the Hérault department in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-Geography:Built in the midst of vineyards in the heart of the department in the Monts Ramus, and on the banks of the Hérault river, Bessan is a mainly agricultural village, known for its wine...
to the sea at
AgdeAgde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
, are navigable. The lowest 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) are tidal, whilst the next 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) forms part of the
Canal du MidiThe is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
. These two sections of the river are linked to each other, and to the Canal du Midi to the west, by short junction canals and the famous
Agde Round LockThe Agde Round Lock is a canal lock on the Canal du Midi that connects to the Hérault River in Agde France. It is almost unique because it is round, which allows a boat to turn around, and the fact that it has three sets of lock gates, each with a different water level...
.
At the upper end of the section of the Hérault used by the Canal du Midi, the Prades Lock provides access to the Canal du Midi to the east. Above this lock, the river is navigable for a further 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) or so.
General