Vienne

Vienne, a river of central France, a left-hand tributary of the Loire, watering the departments of Correze, HauteVienne, Charente, Vienne and Indre-et-Loire. Length, 219 m.; area of basin, 8286 sq. m. Rising on the plateau of Millevaches 14 m. N.W. of Ussel (department of Correze) at a height of 2789 ft., the Vienne flows westward, between the highlands of Limousin on the south and the plateau of Gentioux and the Blond mountains on the north. The first large town on its banks is Limoges (Haute-Vienne), below its confluence with the Taurion: in this part of its course the river supplies motive power to paper-mills and other factories. The river next reaches St Junien, below which it turns abruptly northwards to Confolens (Charente). Flowing through a picturesque and now wider valley, and passing in its course the churches and châteaux of Chauvigny, the river proceeds to the confluence of the Clain just above Chatellerault. Below that town it receives the Creuse (rising on the plateau of Millevaches and reaching the Vienne after a course of 159 m.), and turns northwest, uniting with the Loire below the historic town of Chinon. There is little river-traffic on the Vienne, and that only below its confluence with the Creuse (30 m.).