The Marne is a 525 km long river in northern France. It rises 7.2 km south of Langres, flowing north-north-west past Chaumont and Saint-Dizier. Then, it turns west and north-west, bypassing Vitryle-François and Châlons-sur-Marne. It flows through rolling wine country in Épernay, before meandering through cereal-growing areas and passing La Ferté-sous-Jouarre and Meaux. Eventually, it turns in a wide arc south-east of Paris, joining the Seine at Charenton, an eastern suburb. Its catchment area covers a total area of approximately 13 000 km2.
Two canals separate at Vitry-le-François, one leading to the Saône and the other to the Rhône, both of which are old and in a state of disrepair. The Marne valley was the scene of heavy fighting during the First World War.
Until the 19th century, the river was navigable as a free-flowing river. The river had one 500 m long diked shortcut, which was built in 1235 and is the oldest canal in France. The canal was completed to Épernay in 1867. It included a series of canals that bypassed the most extravagant meanders.
The Marne played a significant role in the First World War, witnessing two important battles. In 1914, during the first Battle of the Marne, General Joseph Gallieni, the military governor of Paris, took the initiative and pushed the Germans out of the capital, thwarting their war plans. The Second Battle of the Marne took place in July-August 1918 and saw the defeat of the last major German offensive on the Western Front by an Allied counterattack, which eventually led to an armistice.
Water transport is possible below the mouth of the Truyère. On the river lie the towns of Cahors, Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
