Ill (France)

The Ill (/ˈɪl/ IL; French: [il]) is a river in Alsace, in north-eastern France, and a left-bank, or western, tributary of the Rhine. It is 217 km (135 mi) long.^[1]

It starts down from its source near the village of

As the Ill nears the city of Mulhouse, most of its flow is diverted into a discharge channel leading to the Doller, protecting the historical center of the town from floods.

Flowing through the city of Strasbourg, the river forms part of the 17th-century fortifications and passes through a series of locks and channels in the picturesque old town, including the

Navigation

The Ill is currently navigable from a junction with the

Navigation through the section of the central part of this section, through Petite France, is restricted to small pleasure craft in the downstream direction only; upstream traffic and commercial traffic must use an indirect route from the Canal de la Marne au Rhin to the Canal du Rhone au Rhine via the

Port of Strasbourg. Passenger trip boats use this section in the opposite direction, completing their loop via the Canal du Faux-Rempart that is closed to all other traffic.^[2]

Other stretches of the Ill, downstream of the Canal de la Marne au Rhin to the confluence with the Rhine, and upstream of Nachtweid, are not navigable by powered craft, although they may be used by canoes and similar craft.

References

1. Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - L'Ill (A---0030)"
   .
2. ^
   ISBN 9781408197967
   . Retrieved 24 September 2015.

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