Thouet
| Thouet | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Basin features | |
| River mouth |
Loire 47°16′47″N 0°6′38″W / 47.27972°N 0.11056°WCoordinates: 47°16′47″N 0°6′38″W / 47.27972°N 0.11056°W |
| Progression | Loire→ Atlantic Ocean |
| Basin size | 3,396 km2 (1,311 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 142 km (88 mi) |
The Thouet (pronounced: [tu.e]) is a tributary river of the Loire in the Poitou-Charentes and Pays de la Loire régions of France. The Thouet rises at Secondigny, close to the source of the Sèvre Nantaise, and joins the Loire just to the west of Saumur. It is 142 km (88 mi) long, and drains an area of 3,396 km2 (1,311 sq mi).
The river's name derives from the ancient Gallic word for tranquil.
The Thouet rises in the Gâtine Vendéenne, the most southern outcrop of the Massif Armoricain, at 225 metres altitude. The Massif armoricain is made up of volcanic and metamorphic rocks dating back to the Paleozoic era. This impermeable land does not result in any important aquifers but is an area of significant rainfall runoff. From the source to Parthenay the river flows in a generally east-west direction.
To the east of Parthenay, the river turns north and flows on a generally northward heading for the rest of its course. Between Saint-Loup-Lamairé and Thouars, the river flows onto the Paris Basin, an area of sedimentary rocks where successive marine deposits of periods from the Triassic to the Pliocene were laid down. The nature of the rocks here allows the formation of an aquifer whose water reserves support the river in times of low flow.
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