Eyrieux River

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Eyrieux River is a tributary of the Rhône River in Europe. The Eyrieux runs for 77 kilometres (47.85 mi). It begins in the Massif Central and joins the Rhône in the Rhône Valley just downstream of Valence.

The Eyrieux has at least three distinct landscapes. Above Le Cheylard, the plateau is marked by the sugarloaf cones of old volcanoes, and the land use is mostly rearing of cattle and sheep. In its middle section, down as far as Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut and Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux, the river is a torrent and is prone to flash floods and extreme variation. This power was used first for silk mills and now for micro-hydro-electricity production, and is a popular spot for canoeists. The river never dries up in summer, as the many dams and barrages maintain a steady flow. The lower section to the Rhône, at Beauchastel and La Voulte-sur-Rhône, opens into the valley and allows intensive farming, especially peach orchards which are best seen when the trees bloom in the spring.

This article does not cite any references or sources. (March 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.