The Seine is the river that flows through Paris and passes beneath the Eiffel Tower.
The Seine runs for about 777 kilometres from its source in northeastern France to the English Channel. In Paris, it divides the city into the Rive Gauche, or Left Bank, and the Rive Droite, or Right Bank. Many of the capital’s most recognized landmarks stand along its banks.
The Eiffel Tower is on the Left Bank near the river, while the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and the historic Île de la Cité are also closely associated with the Seine. The river’s banks in central Paris were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.
The Seine has long supported transportation, trade, settlement, and art. It is not France’s longest river; that title belongs to the Loire. The Rhône is another major French river, but it flows through cities including Lyon and Avignon rather than central Paris.