Dordogne River
| Dordogne | |
|---|---|
The Dordogne in Périgord, near Castelnaud-la-Chapelle
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Location of the Dordogne in France
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| Native name | La Dordogne |
| Country | France |
| Basin features | |
| Main source |
Massif Central 1,720 m (5,640 ft) |
| River mouth |
Gironde estuary 45°2′29″N 0°36′24″W / 45.04139°N 0.60667°WCoordinates: 45°2′29″N 0°36′24″W / 45.04139°N 0.60667°W |
| Basin size | 23,870 km2 (9,220 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 483 km (300 mi) |
| Discharge |
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The Dordogne (Occitan: Dordonha, French: La Dordogne) is a river in south-central and southwest France. The Dordogne and its watershed were designated Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO on July 11 2012.
Contrary to appearances, the name of the Dordogne is not a recent word resulting from the frequent names of the Dore and the Dogne. It comes from an ancient Durānius, derived from a Pre-Celtic root dur-, dor- (as the Durance).
The medieval forms adopted a redoubled suffix -ononia:Dorononia fluvius (sixth century), Dornonia (eighth century) that evolves in Dordonia (ninth century) by a phenomenon of dissimilation, giving the impression of an etymology *Dore-Dogne.
The river rises on the flanks of the Puy de Sancy at 1,885 metres (6,184 ft) above sea level in the mountains of Auvergne, from the confluence of two small torrents above the town of Le Mont-Dore: the Dore and the Dogne. It flows generally west about 500 kilometres (310 mi) through the Limousin and Périgord regions before flowing into the Gironde, its common estuary with the Garonne, at the Bec d'Ambès ("Ambès beak"), north of the city of Bordeaux.
The Dordogne is one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit the phenomenon of a tidal bore, known as a mascaret.
The upper valley of the Dordogne is a series of deep gorges. The cliffs, steep banks, fast flowing water and high bridges attract both walkers and drivers. In several places the river is dammed to form long, deep lakes. Camp sites and holiday homes have proliferated wherever the valley floor is wide enough to accommodate them.
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Wikipedia