Cher (river)

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Cher
The Cher
Native name	Char (Occitan)
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Massif Central
• elevation	762 m (2,500 ft)
Mouth
• location	Loire
• coordinates	47°20′33″N 0°28′49″E / 47.34250°N 0.48028°E / 47.34250; 0.48028
Length	365.1 km (226.9 mi)
Basin size	13,718 km2 (5,297 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Loire→ Atlantic Ocean

The Cher (/ʃɛər/ SHAIR, French: [ʃɛʁ] ^ⓘ; Occitan: Char) is a river in central France, a left tributary of the Loire. It is 365.1 km (226.9 mi) long,^[1] and its basin area is 13,718 km² (5,297 sq mi). Its source is in the Creuse department, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire at Villandry, west of Tours.

The river suffered a devastating flood in 1940, which damaged the Château de Chenonceau, which spans the river, and other structures along the banks. It owes its name to the pre-Indo-European root kʰar 'stone'.