Allier (river)

The Allier () is a river in central France, left tributary of the Loire River. It flows through several regions.
The Allier department is named after this river. In Ancient Rome, the river was named "Elaver".
Geography.
The Allier river has a length of and a drainage basin with an area of .
Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is at Cuffy in the Cher department.
Course.
The source of the Allier is in the mountainous region of "Margeride", part of the Massif Central, on the mountain "Moure de la Gardille" in the Chasseradès municipality, Lozère department. The source is at an altitude of about .
The Allier flows, in general, to the north and passes through the following regions, departments and "communes":
Finally, it flows, as a left tributary into the Loire river at the "bec d'Allier" ("beak of the Allier"), near the city of Nevers, in the limits between the Cher and Nièvre departments in the towns of Marzy, Cuffy and Gimouille, at of altitude.
Main tributaries.
The main tributaries, with a length greater than , of the Allier are:
Left tributaries:
Right tributaries: