The Seine is the river that flows through Paris and empties into the English Channel.
The Seine rises on the Langres Plateau in eastern France and runs generally northwest for about 777 kilometres. It passes through Troyes, Paris, and Rouen before reaching the estuary at the coast near Le Havre and Honfleur.
Paris developed around the river, especially the Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine that formed the historic heart of the city. Many of Paris’s best-known landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower, stand beside or near its banks.
The Loire is France’s longest river, while the Rhône flows into the Mediterranean and the Garonne reaches the Atlantic through the Gironde estuary. These differences are common sources of confusion. The Seine’s riverbanks and historic quays in Paris were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1991.