kids encyclopedia robot

Allier (river) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Allier
River
Brioude pont.JPEG
The Allier river in Brioude
Country  France
Regions Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Centre-Val de Loire
Departments Allier, Ardèche, Cher, Haute-Loire, Lozère, Nièvre, Puy-de-Dôme
Tributaries
 - left Chapeauroux, Alagnon, Morge, Sioule
 - right Dore, Senouire
Cities Vichy, Moulins
Source Moure de la Gardille
 - location Margeride, Massif Central, France
 - elevation 1,430 m (4,692 ft)
 - coordinates 44°35′16″N 3°47′35″E / 44.58778°N 3.79306°E / 44.58778; 3.79306
Mouth Loire
 - location Cuffy, Cher, France
 - elevation 167 m (548 ft)
 - coordinates 46°57′33″N 3°04′46″E / 46.95917°N 3.07944°E / 46.95917; 3.07944
Length 420.7 km (261 mi)
Basin 14,310 km² (5,525 sq mi)
Discharge for Cuffy
 - average 143 /s (5,050 cu ft/s)

The Allier (Occitan: Alèir) is a river in central France, left tributary of the Loire River. It flows through several regions.

The Allier department is named after this river. In Ancient Rome, the river was named Elaver.

Geography

The Allier river has a length of 420.7 km (261.4 mi) and a drainage basin with an area of 14,310 km2 (5,525 sq mi).

Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 143.0 m3/s (5,050 cu ft/s) at Cuffy in the Cher department.

Average monthly discharge (m3/s) at Cuffy (1955 - 2017)

Course

Coté rive droite Est de l'Allier - Vichy
The Allier river at Vichy.

The source of the Allier is in the mountainous region of Margeride, part of the Massif Central, on the mountain Moure de la Gardille in the Chasseradès municipality, Lozère department. The source is at an altitude of about 1,430 m (4,692 ft).

The Allier flows, in general, to the north and passes through the following regions, departments and communes:

Finally, it flows, as a left tributary into the Loire river at the bec d'Allier ("beak of the Allier"), near the city of Nevers, in the limits between the Cher and Nièvre departments in the towns of Marzy, Cuffy and Gimouille, at 167 m (548 ft) of altitude.

Main tributaries

The main tributaries, with a length greater than 40 km (25 mi), of the Allier are:

Gallery

Related pages

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Río Allier para niños

kids search engine
Allier (river) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.