Aude (river) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aude |
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The Aude at Carcassonne
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The Aude river (blue lines) in the Aude department (with red lines)
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| Native name | L'Aude |
| Countries | France |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Les Angles, Lac d'Aude, Massif du Carlit, Pyrénées, France 2,136 m (7,008 ft) |
| River mouth | Fleury/Vendres, France, Mediterranean Sea 0 m (0 ft) 43°12′45″N 3°14′25″E / 43.21250°N 3.24028°E |
| Length | 224.1 km (139.2 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 6,074 square kilometres (2,345 sq mi) total and 4,900 square kilometres (1,900 sq mi) above Coursan |
| Tributaries |
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The Aude is a river of southern French. It starts in the Pyrénées mountains and ends in the Mediterranean Sea. The Aude department is named after this river.
In Roman times, the Aude was called Atax by the Romans. In all likelihood the current name comes from gradual changes of Atax, a word borrowed from the Celtic atacos meaning "spirited" or "very fast"
Geography
The Aude has a length of 224 km (139.2 mi), and a drainage basin with an area of approximately 6,074 km2 (2,345 sq mi).
Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 41.40 cubic metres per second at Moussan.
Course
The Aude starts in the Massif of Carlit at the Lac d'Aude at an elevation of 2,180 metres (7,150 ft) in the commune of Les Angles (Pyrénées-Orientales department).
From the Pyrénées to Carcassonne, the river flows generally from south to north and then turns to the east. The river then flows into the Mediterranean Sea a few kilometres from Narbonne at Grau de Vendres (near Cabanes-de-Fleury) on the border between the departments of Aude and Hérault.
The Aude flows through 1 region, 4 departments and 75 communes. The main communes are:
- Occitanie region
Main tributaries
The main tributaries (30 km or more long) of the Aude river are:
- Left tributaries
- Rébenty - 33.6 km;
- Sou - 29.5 km;
- Fresquel - 63 km;
- Orbiel - 40.9 km;
- Argent-Double - 37.4 km;
- Cesse - 53.5 km;
- Right tributaries
- Lauquet - 36.6 km;
- Orbieu - 84.1 km;
Gallery
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The Aude at Matemale
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The Aude at Axat
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The Aude near its mouth at Salles-d'Aude
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The Orbieu, the main tributary of the Aude, at Lagrasse
Related pages
Images for kids
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The fortified city of Carcassonne and the old bridge crossing the Aude river at night
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The source of the Aude in the commune of Les Angles, near Lac d'Aude
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The bridge across the Aude at Limoux
See also
In Spanish: Río Aude para niños
