The Ariège (; oc, Arièja; ca, Arieja) is a 163 km long river in southern France, right tributary of the

Garonne The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – a ...

. Its source is in the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

, near

El Pas de la Casa El Pas de la Casa (; french: Le Pas de la Case) is a ski resort (part of the Grandvalira resort), town, and mountain pass in the Encamp parish of Andorra, lying on the border with France. Overview Its name literally translates as "the pass of t ...

, where it forms part of the border with

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none ( Latin)"United virtue is str ...

. It flows north through the following towns in two departments: * In Ariège: Ax-les-Thermes, Les Cabannes, Tarascon-sur-Ariège, Montgailhard,

Foix Foix (; oc, Fois ; ca, Foix ) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. It is the capital of the department of Ariège as it is the seat of the Préfecture of that department. Foix is located in the Occitanie region of sout ...

, Varilhes,

Pamiers Pamiers (; oc, Pàmias ) is a commune and largest city in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the most populous commune in the Ariège department, although it ...

, Saverdun. * In

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country' ...

: Cintegabelle, Auterive,

Pinsaguel Pinsaguel (; oc, Pinsaguèl) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. Geography The commune was traversed by the rivers of the Garonne and the Ariège. Population The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Pinsa ...

. Its longest tributaries are the

Hers-Vif The Hers-Vif (, "Live Hers", as opposed to the slower flowing Hers-Mort, "Dead Hers"), also named ''Grand Hers'' or simply ''Hers'', is a long river in southern France, right tributary of the Ariège. The Hers-Vif rises at an elevation of about ...

and the

Lèze The Lèze () is a long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne '' départements'', southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Ariège into which it flows between Labart ...

. It flows into the

in Portet-sur-Garonne, south of

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania. The city is on t ...

. Taken literally, the Latin origin of the river's name, ''Aurigera'', indicates it to be a source of gold.

References

External links

History and real-time water heights of Ariege river, Garonne river, and other tributaries
Rivers of France Rivers of Andorra International rivers of Europe Rivers of Ariège (department) Rivers of Haute-Garonne Andorra–France border Rivers of Occitania (administrative region) Border rivers {{Andorra-river-stub