Rance (river)

The Rance (Breton: Renk, French: La Rance) is a river of northwestern France.[1] It flows into the English Channel between Dinard and Saint-Malo.

Rance
The Rance in Dinan.
Native name	Breton: Renk, French: La Rance  (Breton)
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Brittany
Mouth
• location	English Channel
• coordinates	48°38′28″N 2°2′26″W
Length	102 km (63 mi)
Basin size	1,195 km^2 (461 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	12 m^3/s (420 cu ft/s)

Before reaching the Channel, its waters are barred by a 750 metre long dam forming the Rance tidal power plant.

The river is linked to the Vilaine by means of the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance.

Départements and towns along the river:

• Côtes-d'Armor : Collinée, Caulnes, Dinan
• Ille-et-Vilaine : Dinard, Saint-Malo

Hydrology and water quality

Tributaries of the Rance include:

• Croqueloir
• Clergé
• Fremeur
• Quinéford

This river has moderate turbidity and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the slight gradient of the watercourse; pH levels have been measured at 8.13[2] within the city of Dinan and electrical conductivity of the waters have tested at 33 micro-siemens per centimetre. At this reference location, summer flows are typically in the range of 500 cubic feet per second (14 m³/s).

References

1. Atlas des Routes de France, Solar Press: Donnees IGN (2007)
2. Hogan, C. Michael, Water quality of freshwater bodies in France, Lumina Press, Aberdeen, Scotland(2006)