Allier (river)

The Allier (UK: /ˈæli/ AL-ee-ay,[1] US: /ælˈj, ɑːlˈj/ a(h)l-YAY,[2][3] French: [alje] (listen); Occitan: Alèir) is a river in central France. It is a left tributary of the Loire. Its source is in the Massif Central, in the Lozère department, east of Mende. It flows generally north. It joins the Loire west of the city of Nevers. It is 421 km (262 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 14,350 km2 (5,540 sq mi).[4]

Allier
Bridge over the Allier
Map of the Allier in France
Native nameAlèir  (Occitan)
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationMassif Central
  elevation1,503 m (4,931 ft)
Mouth 
  location
Loire
  coordinates
46°57′34″N 3°4′44″E
Length421 km (262 mi)
Basin size14,350 km2 (5,540 sq mi)
Discharge 
  average140 m3/s (4,900 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionLoireAtlantic Ocean

Departments and towns

The Allier flows through the following departments, and along the following towns:

Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Allier are:

Ecology

Grayling in a sunny pool

The Allier is one of the rare places in southern Europe where the freshwater grayling (Thymallus thymallus), known in French as ombre des rivières, occurs in a natural habitat.[5]

Grayling like to live in shoals and are sensitive to pollution. In the Allier these fish are more abundant in the stretch between Langogne and Brioude. They are economically important, being appreciated for food and fished for sport.

References

  1. "Allier". Lexico UK Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. "Allier". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  3. "Allier". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  4. Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau (K---0080)".
  5. "The grayling zones of rivers and their tributaries" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-01-14.


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