Cher (river)

"River Cher" redirects here. For the river in England, see River Cherwell.

The Cher (/ʃɛər/ SHAIR, French: [ʃɛʁ] ; Occitan: Char) is a river in central France, a left tributary of the Loire. It is 365.1 km (226.9 mi) long, and its basin area is 13,718 km² (5,297 sq mi). Its source is in the Creuse department, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire at Villandry, west of Tours.

Cher
The Cher
Native name	Char (Occitan)
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Massif Central
• elevation	762 m (2,500 ft)
Mouth
• location	Loire
• coordinates	47°20′33″N 0°28′49″E
Length	365.1 km (226.9 mi)
Basin size	13,718 km2 (5,297 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Loire→ Atlantic Ocean

The river suffered a devastating flood in 1940, which damaged the Château de Chenonceau, which spans the river, and other structures along the banks. It owes its name to the pre-Indo-European root kʰar 'stone'.

Departments and towns

The Cher flows through the following departments, and along the following towns:

• Creuse
• Allier: Montluçon
• Cher: Saint-Amand-Montrond, Vierzon
• Loir-et-Cher
• Indre-et-Loire: Tours

Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Cher are, from spring to mouth (L: left / R: right):

• (L) Tardes
  • (L) Voueize
• (R) Amaron or Lamaron at Montluçon
• (R) Aumance at Meaulne
• (R) Yèvre at Vierzon
  • (L) Auron
  • (R) Colin
• (L) Arnon at Vierzon
  • (L) Théols
• (R) Sauldre at Selles-sur-Cher
• (L) Fouzon above Saint-Aignan

Navigation

The Cher was part of a network of waterways that linked the city of Tours to Nevers, where connections to other regions of France existed. As of 2018, only the 54 kilometres (34 mi) section between Larçay (southeast of Tours) and Noyers-sur-Cher is navigable for small boats (maximum draft 80 cm). It has 14 locks. At Noyers-sur-Cher, it is connected with the Canal de Berry, of which only the westernmost 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) section until Selles-sur-Cher is navigable.