| Arve | |
|---|---|
Arve near Annemasse, Haute-Savoie |
|
| Origin | Graian Alps |
| Mouth | Rhône |
| Basin countries | France, Switzerland |
| Length | 102 km |
| Avg. discharge | 75 m³/s |
| Basin area | 2,060 km² |
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km (62 miles) through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and (for a few kilometers) in Switzerland. It is a left tributary of the Rhône.
Rising in the Graian Alps, close to the Swiss border, it receives water from the many glaciers of the Chamonix valley (mainly the Mer de Glace) before flowing north-west into the Rhône on the west side of Geneva, where its much higher level of silt brings forth a striking contrast between the two rivers.
The Arve flows through Chamonix, Sallanches, Cluses, Bonneville, Annemasse and Geneva.