A big European city isn't complete without a river flowing right through it. Paris is no exception. Right through the heart of Paris flows the river Seine (say it: SEN). It flows through the city in an upside-down U-shape. It enters Paris right here in my corner of town, in the 13th District. It flows out of the 15th District. It's a big, beautiful river, and it passes by some of the city's biggest monuments. The Seine has some amazing views of the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum.
However, Paris is only a small part of where this river flows. The river starts as a bunch of small streams some 230 km (145 mi) southeast of Paris. Its source is in the town called Source-Seine. That's a very fitting name, don't you think? From there, the river winds its way through the region of Burgundy, into the Parisian region, and finally into the region of Normandy. There, the river meets the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Le Havre. Can you trace the path of the Seine through the map of France? It's over 770 km long -- that's over 475 miles!
The Seine is so important to France. You'll see it in paintings and movies, and you'll hear about it in poetry and song. But what exactly makes the Seine so special?
