Rhône

The Rhône River

The Rhône is a big, beautiful river that flows through two countries: Switzerland and France. It starts in the tall, snowy Alps at a place called the Rhône Glacier. This glacier is in the Swiss canton of Valais.

From the glacier, the river runs down through Switzerland, passing lovely spots like Lake Geneva. After leaving the lake, the river enters France. It winds its way through many towns and cities, including Lyon and Avignon. Near the city of Arles, the river splits into two parts: the Great Rhône and the Little Rhône. These two parts create a special place called the Camargue, which is a wet, green land full of birds and plants.

Long ago, people used the Rhône River to travel and trade. Boats would carry goods from one place to another. Today, the river is still busy with boats moving up and down its waters. It also helps provide power for places along its path.

The name Rhône comes from an old language called Latin. The Latin word was Rhodanus. People have lived near this river for thousands of years, and it has always been very important to the lands it touches.