The Seine flows through Paris and passes beneath the Pont Neuf. It is one of France’s major rivers and runs through the capital before reaching the English Channel at Le Havre.
The Seine is about 775 kilometres long, making it the second-longest river entirely in France after the Loire. Its source is on the Langres Plateau in northeastern France. The river’s basin includes much of the country’s economically important north-central region.
Paris developed around several islands and banks of the Seine, especially the Île de la Cité. Bridges, quays and riverside monuments form a defining part of the city’s historic landscape. The Pont Neuf, despite its name meaning “New Bridge,” is Paris’s oldest standing bridge across the main river channel.
The river has also shaped French art and literature. Its waters have been used for transport, drinking-water supply and industry, while modern environmental projects have focused on improving water quality and public access.