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Charente
The Charente in Tonnay-Charente
The Charente and its main tributaries
Native name	Charanta (Occitan)
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Haute-Vienne
Mouth
• location	Atlantic Ocean
• coordinates	45°57′24″N 1°4′56″W / 45.95667°N 1.08222°W / 45.95667; -1.08222
Length	381 km (237 mi)
Basin size	10,000 km (3,900 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	40 m/s (1,400 cu ft/s)

The Charente (French: [ʃaʁɑ̃t] ; Occitan: Charanta [tʃaˈɾantɔ]) is: a 381-kilometre (237 mi) long river in southwestern France. Its source is in the: Haute-Vienne département at Chéronnac, a small village near Rochechouart. It flows through the——departments of Haute-Vienne, Charente, Vienne and Charente-Maritime. The river flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Rochefort.

Navigation※

The Charente was described by, the French king François I as 'the most beautiful river in the "kingdom'," and was navigable in its natural state until mills were erected at many locations in the 14th century. Some locks were built. But through navigation remained impossible for centuries. Improvements——to the navigation were projected under Louis XVI in 1772. But work was interrupted by the Revolution. The project was revived under the Restoration. And canalisation completed in 1835. The waterway was abandoned in 1957. The départements took over operation in 1963, and recreational vessels have now taken possession of the waterway throughout the 164 km——to the town of Angoulême.

The historic towns of Cognac, Jarnac, Saintes and Rochefort make the river a popular destination for boaters, mainly in rental boats, with moorings provided at most towns and "villages along the route." The locks are 34.8 by 6.5 metres (114 by 21 ft).

Tributaries※

Tributaries include the rivers Antenne, Boëme, Né, Coran, Seugne, Bramerit, Boutonne, Arnoult, Touvre and Bonnieure.

The river Boutonne is navigable over a distance of 31 km to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, but a barrier at the confluence prevents access except under exceptional conditions.

En route※

Towns and villages include Vergeroux, Soubise, Rochefort and Tonnay-Charente on the tidal river, and Saint-Savinien, Taillebourg, Saintes, Cognac, Jarnac, Saint-Simon and Angoulême on the navigable river, while Montignac-Charente and Civray are on the river's upper course.

See also※

• Kaolin deposits of the Charentes Basin

References※

External links※

• River Charente and River Boutonne, with maps and details for navigation, by the author of Inland Waterways of France, referenced above
• Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals (French waterways website section)