Rhone River

The Rh?ne river is 504 miles (813 km) long from its source in Switzerland to the sea, with 338 miles (545 km) within France. It rises in the canton of Valais in Switzerland, passes through Lake Geneva which marks the frontier between the two countries and enters France in the southern Jura mountains. The first city the river runs through is Lyon, where it joins the S?one (298 miles or 480 km long).


Then the Rh?ne runs straight south down the Rh?ne valley. Once an important inland trade and transportation route, it connects Vienne, Valence, Avignon, and Arles where it divides into two. The Great Rh?ne empties into the Mediterranean at Port-St-Louis-du-Rh?ne; the Petit Rh?ne ends at the Mediterranean near Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The two branches make up the delta that forms the strange marshy Camargue.


The river is part of a huge canal network that connects to major trading ports like Marseille and smaller places like S?te.


It?s a lovely region with lavender fields, olive groves and vineyards adding bright color to the background of the white limestone hills. The valley is famous for its vineyards, with Chateauneuf-du-Pape near Avignon the most famous.