The Nive is a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 river that flows through the French Basque Country

Northern Basque Country

The French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....

. It is a left tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the river Adour

Adour

The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...

. The river's source in the Pyrenees

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...

 in Lower Navarre

Lower Navarre

Lower Navarre is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département of France. Along with Navarre of Spain, it was once ruled by the Kings of Navarre. Lower Navarre was historically one of the kingdoms of Navarre. Its capital were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais...

. The river Nive was made famous by the Le petit Nicolas

Le petit Nicolas

Le Petit Nicolas is a series of French children's books. It was created by René Goscinny and illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé and it was published for the first time on March 29, 1959...

series.

Geography

The Nive proper is formed from three head rivers in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothills....

:

• The Nive de Béhérobie (main stream)
• The Laurhibar
• The Nive d'Arnéguy.

The Nive passes through the towns of Estérençuby

Estérençuby

Estérençuby is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-External links:*...

 (Nive de Béhérobie), Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothills....

, Bidarray

Bidarray

Bidarray is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-References:* -External links:*...

, Cambo-les-Bains

Cambo-les-Bains

Cambo-les-Bains is a town in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-People:...

, Ustaritz

Ustaritz

Ustaritz is a village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is located some 13 km inland from Bayonne....

, Villefranque

Villefranque

Villefranque is the name of two communes in France:* Villefranque, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques* Villefranque, in the Hautes-Pyrénées...

 and Bayonne

Bayonne

Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...

, where it flows into the Adour.

Principal tributaries

• Ezterrengibel or Esterenguibel
• Nive des Aldudes, from Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
  Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
  Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France, located at the same time in the former province of Lower Navarre...
  
  
• Laka, from Ossès
  Ossès
  Ossès is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies in the traditional Basque province of Lower Navarre.-Geography:...
  
  
• Baztan, from Bidarray
  Bidarray
  Bidarray is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-References:* -External links:*...
  
  
• Latsa, from Espelette
  Espelette
  Espelette is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies in the traditional Basque province of Labourd.-Sights:...
  
  

External links

Au fil des Nives Tour de la Haute vallée de la Nive Contrat de Rivière des Nives