Ain (river)
| Ain | |
|---|---|
_(carte).jpg)
Course of the Ain.
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| Native name | L'Ain |
| Country | France |
| Basin features | |
| Main source |
Jura mountains ± 700 m (2,300 ft) 46°44′58″N 6°1′24″E / 46.74944°N 6.02333°E |
| River mouth |
Rhône 45°47′45″N 5°10′10″E / 45.79583°N 5.16944°ECoordinates: 45°47′45″N 5°10′10″E / 45.79583°N 5.16944°E |
| Progression | Rhône→ Mediterranean Sea |
| Basin size | 3,630 km2 (1,400 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 190 km (120 mi) |
| Discharge |
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The Ain (French: [ɛ̃]) is a river in eastern France. It gave its name to the Ain department. In the Franco-Provençal language it is known as the En.
The river rises at an altitude of some 700 metres, near the village of La Favière, in the Jurassic limestone of the southern end of the Jura mountains and flows into the Rhône about 40 kilometres above Lyon, some 190 kilometres down the Ain.
Its source is in the old county of Franche-Comté. It flows south through the combined lengths of the two departments of:
On the way it passes through the towns of Champagnole. (05°54'28"E 46°44'53"N) and Pont-d'Ain (05°20'13"E 46°02'56"N).
The Ain flows into the river Rhône, on the Rhône's right bank, opposite the village of Anthon, approximately 40 km east of Lyon.
The river flows through two regions. The Jura is, of course, Jurassic but it includes less clay than the Jurassic of England so Upper or Middle Jurassic means limestone of some sort, possibly marl (EB 13). The lower river passes over Holocene deposits from the river's own activity amongst rocks of the Middle or Upper (CG).
The Jura consists of limestone strata crushed into ridges between the forces of the spreading rift valley of the Saône and the Alps, the latter raised by a collision of the Italian tectonic plate with Europe. The highest ridge is the easternmost and the Ain flows southwards in the lowest valley, which lies towards the western side of the Jura. The westernmost ridge is again rather higher as the plain of the Saône valley is subducted below the Jurassic rocks (Dercourt). The whole has been glaciated but there is relatively little till remaining in the Jura.
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Wikipedia