SEINE RIVER: SOURCE, ROUTE, MOUTH, TRIBUTARIES, FLORA, FAUNA - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The Seine River is the third largest in France and the second most important economically. It moves from south to north for an approximate stretch of 776 km in the exclusive territory of this country, belonging to the Atlantic slope.

Its Le Havre port, located in the area of ​​its mouth, is one of the busiest in the European region. It occupies an approximate basin of 78,650 km², into which it drains the territory of four regions: Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Great East, Île-de-France and Normandy.

In 1991, Unesco declared the Banks of the Seine a World Heritage Site. Photo: McBodes

History

Old age

There is evidence that affirms that the territories of the Seine basin were occupied by Celtic tribes from the 3rd century BC. C., dedicated mainly to primitive agriculture, taking advantage of the fertility of the territory and its easy access to fresh water.

On the Ile de la Cité, near the place where Notre Dame was erected, canoes and other artifacts dating back approximately 6,000 years have been found, testifying to the relationship between the pre-Roman settlers and the Seine.

Between 58 and 51 a. C. the Roman Empire defeated the Celtic tribes that were in the territory known as Galia, which included present-day France, Belgium and part of Holland. In 52 a. C. Emperor Julius Caesar ordered the foundation of Lutecia.

In the 3rd century AD. C. the Gallic Empire was established with the loss of stability and power that had derived from the death of the Roman emperor Alexander Severo towards 235 d. C., in the territories of Roman Gaul.

Later, in the 4th century Lutetia was renamed and adopted its current name: Paris, taking its name from the Celtic tribe that occupied the territory before the Roman invasion, the Parisians.

In 406 d. Barbarian tribes crossed the river Rhine and entered Galia reaching the Seine, leaving in their wake looting and devastation. The region experienced convulsed periods in which it witnessed barbarian invasions and various attempts to reconquer the territory by Rome.

Around 451 d. Attila crossed the Seine River without entering the city thanks to the resistance organized by a young woman named Genoveva, who thanks to her conviction, fervent faith and heroism was named Saint of the Catholic Church and patron of the city.

Modern Age onwards

The history of the River Seine continues to be linked to two historical figures: Joan of Arc and Napoleon. Some sources claim that the ashes of Joan of Arc were thrown into the riverbed after being burned at the stake, however, this hypothesis has not been confirmed as there are contradictory records. For his part, Napoleon expressed in his will his wish to be buried on the banks of the river, however this wish was not satisfied.

In 1961 the Seine River experienced one of its darkest chapters, serving as a weapon for the execution of Algerian protesters who were thrown into the river from its bridges. These acts were carried out extrajudicially. Another episode that marked the area was manifested during the Second World War, when several bridges of the Seine were destroyed by German bombing.

General characteristics

The Seine River has witnessed the historical, social and cultural evolution that not only involves the regions directly bathed by its waters, but also the continent and with it Western civilization.

Floods

This important natural resource and its tributaries are fed by the waters they receive from the rains on their headwaters. In its route it presents floods in winter and its low water towards the end of summer, when it presents minimum levels.

The floods of the Seine produced by the rains mainly affect the upstream populations, since they pass through narrow channels causing their channel to increase rapidly, while in the valley, as it has more space, the elevation is progressive.

To control violent floods and manage the resource in dry periods, the French government has undertaken actions such as the construction and expansion of lakes.

On the Seine basin there are four reservoirs with a capacity of 800 million cubic meters. Surveillance and administration actions control the riverbed, keeping it constant throughout the year.

Navigation

At the mouth of the River Seine is the port of Le Havre, which allows the commercialization and transfer of passengers to and from France, being one of its most important outlets to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Seine River is navigable by deep draft vessels thanks to the construction of a set of eight locks, which run from the ocean to Nogent-sur-Seine in the Aube department. Above this point it is only navigable by small boats.

Thanks to the dredging of its central channel, ocean vessels arrive in Rouen, in the Seine-Maritime department, located 120 km from the sea.

World Heritage

Many cultural treasures expressed in works of art, historic buildings and monuments grace the banks of the River Seine.

These works constitute a cultural bulwark for humanity. For this reason, in 1991 Unesco declared an area of ​​365 hectares that goes from the Sully Bridge to the Jena Bridge, which includes the islands of Saint-Louis and de la Cité, a World Heritage Site. These, together, are known as 'Banks of the Seine'.

Bridges

According to historians, the first bridges over the Seine River were built by the Parisians, in the place that would later be occupied by the Petit Pont and the Grand Pont.

Later, during the Roman occupation, very solid works were built in order to cross the current of the river. These buildings were settled in the narrowest points, thus improving traffic for trade and protection of the territory.

In Paris alone there are 37 bridges, among which are:

New bridge

Despite its name, it is the oldest bridge in Paris. Its construction began in 1578 under the orders of Enrique IV. It was built in stone and has 12 semicircular arches with a length of 232 meters.

Alexander III Bridge

This bridge crosses the waters of the Seine as it passes through the French capital. It was inaugurated on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1900, it has four statues of bronze horses 17 meters high that symbolize the triumph of human ingenuity in four areas: arts, sciences, commerce and industry. It offers a privileged view of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River.

Art bridge

Also known as the 'footbridge of the arts', it was built between 1801 and 1804 to link the Institut de France with the Louvre Museum. It stands out for being the first iron bridge in Paris dedicated exclusively to the pedestrian crossing.

Birth, route and mouth

The source of the river Seine was produced by the joint action of the sea and the rise of the Pyrenees and the Alps to the south. Starting in the Cretaceous, seawater entered the continental terrain on several occasions, depositing sediments that began the formation of the river basin.

Sediments carried by the sea formed a plateau that was cracked by the uplift of the French Pyrenees and the Swiss Alps to the south, approximately three million years ago.

The re-cooling suffered by the sea during the Quaternary era caused a decrease in its levels and allowed the Seine to take its course, receiving water from the rivers of the region, seeking an outlet that would allow them to join the sea.

Currently, its source is located on the Landres plateau, in the Source-Seine population in the Côte-d´Or department, near the city of Dijon. At a height of 470 meters above sea level, it flows northeast to its mouth in the English Channel, through the city of Le Havre.

When leaving Source-Seine it passes through the commune of Montereau-Fault-Yonne and from there to Paris. It crosses the capital for 140 km and then passes to the city of Rouen. Leaving Rouen on the way to the sea, the Seine curves sharply before reaching the coastal city of Le Havre and Honfleur to find its mouth through the Seine estuary in the English Channel.

Main cities that travels

The river Seine, on its way to the sea, touches the territory of four French regions, bathing fourteen departments with its waters. On his way he finds many small communes with less than a thousand inhabitants and cities like Paris, with more than 2 million inhabitants.

In the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, it runs through the towns of Source-Seine, Billy-lès-Chanceaux, Duesme, Quemigny-sur-Seine, Bellenod-sur-Seine, Saint-Marc-sur-Seine, Brémur, Aisey-sur- Seine, Nod-sur-Seine, Chamesson, Ampilly-le-Sec, Châtillon-sur-Seine, Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine, Étrochey, Montliot-et-Courcelles, Pothières, Charrey-sur-Seine, Noiron-sur- Seine and Gomméville.

In the Great East region it runs through Mussy-sur-Seine, Plaines-Saint-Lange, Courteron, Gyé-sur-Seine, Neuville-sur-Seine, Buxeuil, Polisy, Celles-sur-Ource, Merrey-sur-Arce, Bar -sur-Seine, Bourguignons, Courtenot, Virey-sous-Bar, Fouchères, Villemoyenne, Clérey, Saint-Thibault, Verrières and Buchères.

Also Bréviandes, Saint-Parres-lès-Vaudes, Saint-Julien-les-Villas, Troyes, Barberey-Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Benoît-sur-Seine, Mergey, Villacerf, Chauchigny, Saint-Mesmin, Vallant-Saint-Georges, Méry-sur-Seine, Clesles, Romilly-sur-Seine, Marcilly-sur-Seine, Conflans-sur-Seine, Pont-sur-Seine, Marnay-sur-Seine and finally Nogent-sur-Seine.

On the Île-de-France it runs through many communes with less than 500 inhabitants. Among those with more than 5,000 inhabitants are:

Montereau-Fault-Yonne, Bois-le-Roi, Vaux-le-Pénil, Melun, Le Mée-sur-Seine, Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, Corbeil-Essonnes, Évry, Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil, Soisy-sur -Seine, Ris-Orangis, Viry-Châtillon, Savigny-sur-Orge, Draveil, Juvisy-sur-Orge, Athis-Mons, Vigneux-sur-Seine, Ablon-sur-Seine, Villeneuve-le-Roi, Villeneuve-Saint -Georges, Choisy-le-Roi and Paris, among many others.

On his way through Normandy he runs through Eure Vernon, Saint-Marcel, Port-Mort, Saint-Pierre-la-Garenne, Courcelles-sur-Seine, Le Val d'Hazey, Les Andelys, Poses, Pont-de-l'Arche, Criquebeuf-sur-Seine, Quillebeuf-sur-Seine, Berville-sur-Mer, Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, Elbeuf, Oissel, Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, Amfreville-la-Mi-Voie, Port-Jérôme, Tancarville and Harfleur, among the best known.

Places of interest

In 1991, Unesco declared the banks of the Seine a World Heritage Site for the invaluable works and monuments to which one has access when navigating its waters.

Eiffel Tower

It is the most popular tourist destination in Paris, it is estimated that it is visited by more than 7 million people a year. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, its construction lasted approximately 2 years with the participation of 250 workers.

Louvre Museum

It is considered the most important museum in France and one of the most visited in the world, registering approximately 8 million visitors a year. It was opened in 1793 with exhibits belonging to the French monarchy and works obtained by Napoleon during his invasions.

In addition to the works on display, the building itself is a work of art, as it was a 12th-century fortress occupied by Carlos V and Felipe II before becoming a museum. Its biggest modification was made in 1989 when a glass pyramid was built to show off at its entrance.

Notre Dame Cathedral

One of the most important religious monuments in Paris, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It has the merit of being one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in the world.

Art and history are found within its walls, which were the scene of the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte and Henry VI of England, as well as the beatification of Joan of Arc. In 2019 the structure suffered damage from a fire that damaged its roof and the main tower, however, restoration work has already begun.

Tributaries

The Seine river receives the waters of all the rivers of the Parisian basin. Its main tributaries are Brevon, Courcelles, Laignes, Ource, Arce, Hozain, Barse, Ecorce, Aube, Yonne, Loing, Orge, Marne, Oise, Aubette, Robec and Cailly.

Flora

80% of the land on the banks of the River Seine that is not urbanized is dedicated to agriculture, especially to the cultivation of vines. Beech, Tatarian honeysuckle, ferns, wormwood, poplars, milkweed, pines, willows, oaks, lichens, and reeds are found in native riverbank forests.

Fauna

The fauna has been displaced by the growth of cities and the industrialization of the banks. Fortunately, there are spaces where native species can still be observed, thanks to the fact that they have been reintroduced by the French government in its conservation plans and fundamental maintenance of the ecosystem.

Among them are river lamprey, tench, burbot, European pike, common eel, minnow, river perch, spiny loach, European flounder, white bream, common sturgeon, river wolf, brook lamprey and sea lamprey.

Among the mammals present in its riverbed are red squirrels, seals, foxes, roe deer, badgers, wild boars, fallow deer and deer. In the area you can also see some species of birds such as Mediterranean gulls, cormorants and herons.

References

1. The Seine-Normandy Basin (France), World Water Resources Assessment Program, taken from unesco.org
2. What to see in Paris, Civitatis Paris travel website, taken from Paris.es.
3. Paris suffers the overflowing of the Seine River, digital version of the newspaper El Nuevo Herald, January 29, 2018, taken from elnuevoherald.com.
4. Amanda Bouzada, El Sena, territory in crisis: the Limay-Porcheville case, Polytechnic University of Madrid, June 13, 2017, taken from oa.upm.es
5. The success of Parisian foundations, official website of the Office of Tourism and Congresses, taken from es.Parísinfo.com.