The Creuse (French pronunciation: [kʁøz] ; Occitan: Cruesa) is a 263-kilometre (163 mi) long river in western France, a tributary of the Vienne.[1] Its source is in the Plateau de Millevaches, a north-western extension of the Massif Central.
Course
The Creuse flows northwest through the following departments and towns:
- Creuse department (named after the river): Aubusson.
- Indre department: Argenton-sur-Creuse, Le Blanc.
- Indre-et-Loire department : Yzeures-sur-Creuse, Descartes
- Vienne department: La Roche-Posay
The Creuse flows into the Vienne about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Châtellerault. It receives its longest tributary, the Gartempe, in La Roche-Posay.
The Creuse valley is the setting for paintings by the so-called Crozant School, including works by Armand Guillaumin and a series of vivid landscapes by the Bordeaux artist Alfred Smith.[2]
Dams and lakes
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Creuse_dams.jpg/220px-Creuse_dams.jpg)
There are six hydroelectric dams on the river. Three are in the Creuse département with one at Chambon-Sainte-Croix above Anzême, one at Les Chezelles near Le Bourg-d'Hem and one at L'Âge upstream of La Celle-Dunoise. The remaining three are in the Indre including the Éguzon Dam which was opened in 1926 and was, at the time, the largest dam in Europe.[citation needed] The lakes created by the dams are popular tourist destinations and several have artificial beaches and leisure facilities.[citation needed]
Main tributaries
Left bank: |
Right bank:
|
References
- ^ Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - La Creuse (L---0070)".
- ^ Hollis Koons McCullough, ed. (2005). "Alfred Smith". Telfair Museum of Art: collection highlights. University of Georgia Press. pp. 156–157. ISBN 0-933075-04-9.
External links
Media related to Creuse river at Wikimedia Commons
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