Cher (river)

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Cher
The Cher
Native name	Char (Occitan)
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Massif Central
• elevation	762 m (2,500 ft)
Mouth
• location	Loire
• coordinates	47°20′33″N 0°28′49″E / 47.34250°N 0.48028°E / 47.34250; 0.48028
Length	365.1 km (226.9 mi)
Basin size	13,718 km2 (5,297 mi2)
Discharge
• average	104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Loire→ Atlantic Ocean

The Cher (/ʃɛər/ SHAIR, French: [ʃɛʁ] ⓘ; Occitan: Char) is a river in central France, a left tributary of the Loire, with a length of 365.1 km (226.9 mi),[1] and a basin area of 13,718 km2 (5,297 sq mi). The source is in the Creuse department, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire at Villandry, west of Tours.

The river suffered a devastating flood in 1940, which damaged the Château de Chenonceau, which spans the river, and other structures along the banks. It owes its name to the pre-Indo-European root kʰar 'stone'.

The Cher flows through the following departments, and along the following towns:[1]

• Creuse
• Allier: Montluçon
• Cher: Saint-Amand-Montrond, Vierzon
• Loir-et-Cher
• Indre-et-Loire: Tours

The main tributaries of the Cher are, from spring to mouth (L: left / R: right):[1]

• (L) Tardes
  • (L) Voueize
• (R) Amaron or Lamaron at Montluçon
• (R) Aumance at Meaulne
• (R) Yèvre at Vierzon
  • (L) Auron
  • (R) Colin
• (L) Arnon at Vierzon
  • (L) Théols
• (R) Sauldre at Selles-sur-Cher
• (L) Fouzon above Saint-Aignan

The Cher was part of a network of waterways that linked the city of Tours to Nevers, where connections to other regions of France existed. As of 2018[update], only the 54 kilometres (34 mi) section between Larçay (southeast of Tours) and Noyers-sur-Cher is navigable for small boats (maximum draft 80 cm). It has 14 locks.[2] At Noyers-sur-Cher, it is connected with the Canal de Berry, of which only the westernmost 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) section until Selles-sur-Cher is navigable.[3]