Var (river)

Coordinates: 43°39′13″N 7°11′59″E / 43.65361°N 7.19972°E / 43.65361; 7.19972
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Var
Rooftops of Entrevaux and the gorge of the Var
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
Source 
 - locationMaritime Alps
 - elevation1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Mouth 
 - locationMediterranean Sea
 - coordinates43°39′13″N 7°11′59″E / 43.65361°N 7.19972°E / 43.65361; 7.19972
Length114 km (71 mi)
Basin size2,812 km2 (1,086 sq mi)
Discharge 
 - average50 to 100 m3/s (1,800 to 3,500 cu ft/s)

The Var (Latin: Varus) is a river in southeastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône river.It gave its name to the French department of Var. It is a unique case in France of a river not flowing in the department named after it (see Var)

Geography[change | change source]

The Var river has a length of 113.8 km (70.7 mi), and a drainage basin with an area of 2,819 km2 (1,088 sq mi).[1]

Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 50.40 m3/s (1,780 cu ft/s) at Nice (Pont Napoléon III) in the Alpes-Maritimes department.[2]

Course[change | change source]

Source of the Var in Estenc

The source of the Var is in the small town of Estenc, in the commune of Entraunes, at an altitude of about 1,790 m (5,873 ft), to the south of the Col de la Cayolle, a mountain pass 2,326 m (7,631 ft) high, in the Alpes-Maritimes department.[3] From here, the Var flows, in general, to the southeast.

The Var flows through the Alpes-Maritimes department for most of its length; it flows through the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department for a short distance, about 15 km (9.3 mi).

The Var between Nice and Saint-Laurent-du-Var

The Var river flows through 1 region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), 2 departments and 31 communes. It flows through the following communes, among others:[1]

Finally, it flows into the Mediterranean Sea between Nice and Saint-Laurent-du-Var.[4]

Main tributaries[change | change source]

The five main tributaries of the Var river are:[1]

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Le Var (Y6--0200)" (in French). SANDRE - Portail national d'accès aux référentiels sur l'eau. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  2. "Le Var à Nice [Pont Napoléon III]". Banque Hydro (in French). Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement Durable et de l'Energie. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. "Source du Var" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. "Embouchure du Var" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 20 November 2016.