The Allier ( , , ; ) is a river in central France. It is a left tributary of the Loire. Its source is in the Massif Central, in the Lozère department, east of Mende. It flows generally north. It joins the Loire west of the city of Nevers. It is long, and has a drainage basin of .

Departments and towns

The Allier flows through the following departments, and along the following towns, from source to mouth:

  • Lozère: La Bastide-Puylaurent, Langogne;
  • Ardèche - the river runs along the border between this department and Lozère;
  • Haute-Loire: Monistrol-d'Allier, Langeac, Brioude;
  • Puy-de-Dôme: Brassac-les-Mines, Auzat-la-Combelle, Issoire, Cournon-d'Auvergne, Pont-du-Château;
  • Allier: Saint-Yorre, Vichy, Varennes-sur-Allier, Moulins, Château-sur-Allier;
  • Cher: Mornay-sur-Allier;
  • Nièvre.

Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Allier are:

  • Chapeauroux (left side);
  • Senouire (right side);
  • Alagnon (left side);
  • (left side);
  • (left side);
  • Veyre (left side);
  • Monne (left side);
  • Dore (right side);
  • Dolore (left side);
  • (left side);
  • (right side);
  • Sioule (left side).

Ecology

thumb|Grayling in a sunny pool

The Allier is one of the rare places in southern Europe where the freshwater grayling (Thymallus thymallus), known in French as , occurs in a natural habitat.

Grayling like to live in shoals and are sensitive to pollution. In the Allier these fish are more abundant in the stretch between Langogne and Brioude. They are economically important, being appreciated for food and fished for sport.

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Allier at Coudes.jpg|Coudes, Puy-de-Dôme.

Rivière Allier depuis l'ouest du pont de l'Europe (Vichy) 2022-07-14.JPG|Vichy, Allier.

Moulins-bruecke-vom-allier.JPG| in Moulins, Allier.

Allier Pont Canal LeGuétin.jpg|The bridge .

</gallery>

References