The Rhone River is one of the most magnificent waterways of Switzerland and France. It is important for industry, agriculture and culture.
Characteristic
The length of the river reaches 812 km. Its total area is 98 thousand square meters. km The river begins in Switzerland. Ron takes its origins from the Lepontine Alps, in places where glaciers melt. Initially, it heads southwest, crossing Lake Geneva. On the map above you can see how the riverbed passes. It can be seen that then the water flow goes through the port of Lyon and flows into the Mediterranean waters of the Gulf of Lyon. The huge delta of the Rhone (a little more than 12, 000 sq. Km) diverges into two branches. The right tributaries of the rapid river include Sona, Ardesh and En, and the left - Durance, Isere and Drome.
Basic moments
According to myths, the river was named after Ron, who was brave, quick, wayward, purposeful and could lead everyone along. This reservoir originates in Switzerland, passes through Geneva. At the port of Lyon, a more calm stream of the Son flows into it, which was also named after a woman from myths. Often their images and sculptures can be seen in French architecture.
On the banks of the Rhone are numerous cities, for example, Brig and Arles, Avignon and Lyon, Geneva and Sion, as well as Mortelimar and Valence.
Shipping
Since the Rhone River is an excellent option for the movement of ships, transport links between all coastal cities are very good. Even vessels with a draft of 4 meters can safely pass through the expanses of this stream. Such a special channel was obtained thanks to the construction of numerous bypass channels, as well as gateways. There are 13 of them throughout the river. This allows vessels to rise almost 165 meters higher than the level of sea water in Lyon (the largest port on the Rhone River). In addition to this function, the gateways in the sum with the dams form a kind of bridges. In other parts of the river, you can only move on river vessels, especially when it comes to moving up the river.
River value
Due to such features, Rhone was recognized as the main artery of the transport system in France. Numerous bridges adorn the river open spaces, and they were created for transport, rail links and even for the movement of pedestrians. Another important quality of the river is the special role in the power supply of all nearby cities, many nuclear power plants, hydroelectric power stations, and wind power stations operate at the expense of the Rhone water resources. River water is an excellent tool for the development of French industry. On top of everything, the Rhone is considered the heart of agriculture in France. Irrigation and enrichment of nearby pastures and vineyards, fields is possible only due to the fact that this river passes nearby. In Switzerland, its resources do not have such significance, since only its upper part passes within the borders of this state.
Coastal zone and pollution
Due to the fact that the banks of the Rhone are dotted with industrial enterprises and power plants, it was decided to strengthen the coastal zone with concrete slabs, because of this, part of the local flora and fauna could not exist any further. The southern part of the river is considered the most polluted. Here fishing is strictly prohibited. The reason for this was frequent releases to water. The largest of them were committed in 2008 (uranium leak), 2011 (after the explosion at Markul NPP).
sights
The main feature of this watercourse was the love of tourists for the local attractions and beautiful landscapes. You can often see how the visitors of France from the bridges through binoculars examine the cultural, architectural and natural heritage that surround the Rhone River. Each city and village has numerous churches, chapels and cathedrals. The most famous of them are Notre Dame, Saint, St. Nicholas Church and others. Here you can see the most beautiful castles from different historical eras. Many of them are located on mountains or hills. There are magnificent towers, which offer stunning panoramic views. The Rhone Valley is also amazing in magnificence. There are splendid vineyards, the history of which began long before our era.
The largest port on the river
The main attraction of the Rhone is rightfully named the port of Lyon. This is the largest port center in France, which at the same time is the oldest in the country. It is located between the capital of France and Marseille. It is a modern industrial and commercial center with a rich history. The populous city in France ranks third in the number of people living on its territory. The total number of citizens reaches almost 500 thousand people. The center of Lyon is the Rhône-Alpes region. This large city has become famous all over the world due to its medical value. After all, it was here that the main Research Center for Cancer Control in Europe was located.
Students from all over France come to Lyon to study at the country's four best universities. And tourists from all over the world come together, lovingly visiting the ancient architectural buildings of the Roman era. Each of them is under the watchful eye of UNESCO. The port on the Ron and Son rivers has another name, it sounds like Edouard Herriot. Thanks to them, Lyon has free access to the Mediterranean sea. Also, the Rhone River provides communication between French and European cities. That is why the port of Lyon is considered not only river, but also sea. Through it, freight and passenger transportation is carried out.
