The Méouge, is a 39 km river in the Rhône-Alpes

Rhône-Alpes

Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...

 region of the south of France. It rises in the Drôme

Drôme

Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...

 near the town of Sederon

Séderon

Séderon is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-References:*...

 and crosses into the Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...

 at Barret-sur-Méouge

Barret-sur-Méouge

Barret-sur-Méouge is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. It is located at the start of the 'Gorges de la Méouge' on the Méouge river.-Population:-References:*...

 where it carves the spectacular tourist attraction, the Gorges de la Méouge, through the limestone platform. Near the communities of Chateauneuf-de-Chabre

Châteauneuf-de-Chabre

Châteauneuf-de-Chabre is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...

 and Antonaves it joins the river Buëch

Buëch

The Buëch is a river in southeastern France, right tributary to the Durance. Its source is in the Dauphiné Alps, near the Grand Ferrand peak. It flows generally southward, for most of its course in the Hautes-Alpes département...

 which in turn flows into the Durance

Durance

The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...

 and the Rhone

Rhône

Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...

..

Gorges de la Méouge

The 'Gorges de la Méouge' is a 7 km long gorge carved by the Méouge though the mesozoic

Mesozoic

The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...

 limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 rock of the Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...

 in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...

 region. The lime colored gorge has wild shapes, small sandy beaches, huge polished pebbles, water holes and waterfalls. It is famous for swimming. The medieval bridge of Châteauneuf de Chabre is classified as a historical monument. The gorges are also classified Natural Areas of Ecological Interest, Fauna and Flora whose flora and fauna are protected.

Municipalities and townships crossed

In both departments of Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...

 (05) and Drôme

Drôme

Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...

 (26), the Méouge passes through eleven communities and two cantons. These include : Barret-de-Lioure

Barret-de-Lioure

Barret-de-Lioure is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...

 (source), Séderon

Séderon

Séderon is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Vers-sur-Méouge

Vers-sur-Méouge

Vers-sur-Méouge is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...

, Eygalayes

Eygalayes

Eygalayes is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.-Population:...

, Lachau

Lachau

Lachau is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...

, Ballons

Ballons

Ballons is a commune in the department of Drôme in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.-Population:...

, Salérans

Salérans

Salérans is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Barret-sur-Méouge

Barret-sur-Méouge

Barret-sur-Méouge is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. It is located at the start of the 'Gorges de la Méouge' on the Méouge river.-Population:-References:*...

, Saint-Pierre-Avez

Saint-Pierre-Avez

Saint-Pierre-Avez is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Châteauneuf-de-Chabre

Châteauneuf-de-Chabre

Châteauneuf-de-Chabre is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...

, Antonaves (confluence).

Tributaries

The Méouge has approximately thirty tributaries :

• the Touissit ravine,
• the Lèbrières ravine,
• the Défens stream,
• the Lioron ravine,
• the Rivadet ravine,
• the Rieu river
• the Villefranche stream with four tributaries
• the Voluy stream with two tributaries
• the Colombier ravine
• the Front-Cold ravine
• the Vignard ravine,
• the Saulce river with a tributary
• the Riançon river with two tributaries
• the Auzance, with two tributaries
• the Mouessoron river
• the Great Combe ravine
• the Couzaut stream with a tributary
• the stream through the Serre,
• the Fontaine Aillaud ravine,
• the Tramier ravine,
• the ravine of salt water,
• the Rif stream with three tributaries
• the Bigarière stream,
• The Fraches stream with a tributary
• the Vines stream
• the d'Ourse stream with a tributary
• the Peysson stream,
• the Rif stream with a tributary
• the Gironde stream,

Hydrology

The Méouge watershed has an area of 229 km² (by SANDRE) and 225 km² (by SIEM 7). It covers fourteen municipalities and between 1500 - 2000 residents , mostly living in the municipalities of the canton of 'Ribiers Méouge Valley'.