The Arve (french: L'Arve, ) is a river in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

(''

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety- ...

'' of Haute-Savoie), and Switzerland (

canton of Geneva The Canton of Geneva, officially the Republic and Canton of Geneva (french: link=no, République et canton de Genève; frp, Rèpublica et canton de Geneva; german: Republik und Kanton Genf; it, Repubblica e Cantone di Ginevra; rm, Republica e ...

). A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long, of which 9 km in Switzerland. Its catchment area is , of which 80 km² in Switzerland. Its average discharge in Geneva is . Rising in the northern side of the Mont Blanc massif in the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, ...

, close to the Swiss border, it receives water from the many

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...

s of the

Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ( frp, Chamôni), more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. In 2019, it ha ...

valley (mainly the Mer de Glace) before flowing north-west into the Rhône on the west side of

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...

, where its much higher level of silt brings forth a striking contrast between the two rivers. The Arve flows through

, Sallanches, Oëx, Cluses, Bonneville, Annemasse and Geneva. Tributaries include, from source to mouth: Arveyron, Diosaz, Bon-Nant, Sallanche, Giffre, Borne, Menoge, Foron, Seymaz and Aire.

Gallery

Image:Rhône and Arve Junction.jpg, The Arve (right) meets the Rhône in

Image:Arve à Chamonix.jpg, The Arve in Chamonix

References

Rivers of Switzerland Rivers of France Rivers of Haute-Savoie International rivers of Europe Rivers of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Rivers of the canton of Geneva Rivers of the Alps {{Switzerland-river-stub