The Orbe () is a river of the

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

basin. It starts in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and flows to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

where it forms the river

Thielle The river Thielle (, ), is a tributary to the Aare, in the Swiss Seeland. The Thielle results from the merging of the Orbe and Talent, northeast of the little city of Orbe in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It flows as a channel northeastwards thro ...

at its confluence with the river Talent. Not to be mistaken with the

Orbe Orbe (; ; older , ; ) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the former district of Orbe and is now part of the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois. History Orbe is first mentioned about 280 as ''Urba''. In 1179, it wa ...

, which is a

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the

Arrats The Arrats is a long river in southern France, left tributary of the Garonne. Its source is in the northern foothills of the Pyrenees, near Sariac-Magnoac. It flows north through the following ''départements'' and towns: * Hautes-Pyrénées * G ...

Geography

The Orbe has its source near

Rousses Rousses (; ) is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France. See also *Communes of the Lozère department The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department of France France, officially the French Repu ...

, forms the

lac des Rousses Lac des Rousses is a lake in Les Rousses, Jura department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France, close to the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-centr ...

before flowing down to lac de Joux in

canton of Vaud Vaud ( ; , ), more formally Canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts; its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms bears the motto "Liberté et patrie" on a white-green bicolou ...

. It disappears naturally underground for a stretch of 4 km, to reappear in

Vallorbe Vallorbe () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Jura-North Vaudois District, Jura-Nord Vaudois in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud in Switzerland. History Vallorbe is first mentioned in 1139 as ''de valle ...

- where a special ecotourism site was created, the Vallorbe Caves (note, to re-edit - http://www.grottesdevallorbe.ch/). Soon after, in

, the river merges with the Talent and takes the name of ''Thielle''. Flowing through

Yverdon-les-Bains Yverdon-les-Bains () (called Eburodunum and Ebredunum during the Ancient Rome, Roman era) is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Jura-North Vaudois District, Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It ...

, it joins the

lac de Neuchâtel Lac may refer to: Places Africa * Lac Region, a district in Chad * Lac Prefecture, a district in Chad America * Rivière du Lac, a tributary of the Montmorency River, in Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, Canada Europe * Laç, a city in Albania * Lac ...

. It flows out of it through the Thielle channel to the Nidau-Büren channel in

Nidau Nidau is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Biel/Bienne (administrative district), Biel/Bienne administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Bern in Switzerland. History Nidau is first mentio ...

, just before the regulating dam Port established between

Port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

and Brügg that controls the levels of the three lakes of Seeland. The Orbe and Thielle drain all the waters from the Canton of Vaud to the Rhine, with the exception of the river Venoge, divided by the

Mormont ''Le Mormont'' is a hill in the Swiss canton of Vaud, rising to an elevation of 605 metres, with a Topographic prominence, prominence of about 115 metres. It is part of the Éclépens municipality between lakes Lake Neuchatel, Neuchatel and La ...

watershed Watershed may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage) Music * Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...

between the former and the Rhone basins.

History

See

Jura water correction The correction of the waters of the Swiss Jura consisted of a wide series of hydrological undertakings carried out in Switzerland in the region of the three lakes: Lake Murten connected to Lake Neuchatel by the Broye Canal, the latter connec ...

Itinerary

Les Rousses Les Rousses () is a commune in the Canton of Hauts de Bienne of Jura department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France, on the Swiss border. The Lac des Rousses is located northeast of the village of Les Rousses beside th ...

Lac des Rousses Lac des Rousses is a lake in Les Rousses, Jura department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France, close to the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-centr ...

Bois-d'Amont Bois-d'Amont () is a commune in the Jura department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Jura department The following is a list of the 492 communes of the Jura department of France. Th ...

Enters

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

territory * Canton de Vaud **

Le Chenit Le Chenit is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois District, Jura-Nord Vaudois in the Vallée de Joux. History Le Chenit is first m ...

** Lac de Joux **

Le Pont L'Abbaye is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the Jura-Nord Vaudois district in the Vallée de Joux. It takes its name from Lac de Joux Abbey, a Premonstratensian monastery. History L'Abbaye was created as an independ ...

**underground stretch **

Les Clées Les Clées is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Jura-North Vaudois District, Jura-Nord Vaudois in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud in Switzerland. History Les Clées is first mentioned in 1134 as ''Clees'' ...

**Leaves the community's territory in the plain of Orbe

Tributaries

*Ruisseau des Epoisats *La Jougnena *Le Talent

References

External links

Production électriquefr, de, it: Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse
Rivers of France Rivers of Switzerland Rivers of the canton of Vaud Rivers of the Jura Rivers of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Rivers of Jura (department) International rivers of Europe {{Switzerland-river-stub