Huveaune

Huveaune is a coastal Fleuve 48 kilometers length which takes its source in the Massif of the Holy-Balsam, in the Vallon of Castelette and is thrown to Marseilles in the Mediterranean.

Sources of the river

Huveaune takes its source in the cave of Castelette, to 590 m of altitude at the bottom of a picturesque circus on the northern slope of Holy the Balsam in the Var.

The basin of Huveaune

Huveaune sprinkles a basin of 373 km ² covering Holy the Balsam Western and part of the chain of the Star, ubac of the Massif of Saint-Cyr military school, and the Marseillais basin. Among his affluents coming from the Co.-Balsam, one will note Peyruis with Saint-Zacharie, Vede supplied with abundant sources in the ravine of Encanaux, Fauge coming from the splendid park of St Pons meadows of Gémenos supplied with a beautiful source, the brook of Russet-red coming from Saucette, Merlançon, brook coming him from the chain of the Star which joined Huveaune with the bridge of Joux, as the Jarret which takes its source close to Pichauris and joined the river in Marseilles in the district of Co.-Marguerite.

Two zones are distinguished:

the High Valley of Huveaune upstream of Aubagne, still relatively rural, with the towns of Bridge of the Star, Roquevaire, Auriol and Saint-Zacharie.

the Low Valley of Huveaune, Aubagne to the mouth, marked by a strong industrialization, Passing by: Aubagne, the It Warp end-on-Huveaune and Marseilles.

Huveaune is the only river crossing Marseilles with the brook of the Aygalades.

The installation of Huveaune

To reduce pollution

Huveaune is thrown in the sea the Mediterranean, the traditional course made it arrive on the Southern beaches of the city, near the Parc Borély in Marseilles. For ten years, the major part of the river has been deviated towards the Purification plant of water of Marseilles because it polluted the beaches of the city located near its mouth. Water thus is now rejected into the Calanque of Cortiou. In the event of strong precipitations, the too full of one water of the river which cannot be absorbed by the purification plant is evacuated by the old natural bed.

The small river very polluted until in the years 1980, found a water definitely cleaner, it saw 11 different fish species there.

Fight against the risings and regulation of the flow

The risings occur at the time of strong rains on the solid mass of Holy the Balsam and the chain of Star, and also more rarely because of snow melt on Holy the Balsam which can reach up to one meter thickness. The flow of Huveaune can then reach 330 cubic meters/second like in October 1892, November 1907, 140 cubic meters/dry. in October 1973 and 1994…

The rising of autumn reaches up to 100 cubic meters/dry. ; the average interannual flow or module is worth 2 cubic meters/dry. to Marseilles, but can go down to the low water level to less than 0,1 cubic meter/dry.

Huveaune and Men

Huveaune was called formerly Ubelka, then Veaune.

The economic role

All with length its valley, Huveaune allowed since always a market-gardening agricultural activity then for Marseilles. It remains it still today upstream of Aubagne.

As of the the Middle Ages, it feeds out of water certain industries with the first faience manufactures, tilery.

Then, starting from the middle of the XIXeme century, the valley between Aubagne and the sea are industrialized with many industries, like the chocolate factory (a long time factory headlight of Nestlé), the chemical activities (Lafarge). During twenty last years, they close the ones after the others. Remain or develop only establishments of commercial large surfaces.

Today, the valley of Huveaune is a zone of residence with the development of the villages between Marseilles and Aubagne. It is also the road slip of Marseilles towards the East of the department and the Area: an important way of connection with the Highway A50 towards Toulon, Aix-en-Provence and Nice, connection in progress with the L2 by-pass and the railway which connects Marseilles to Toulon, Nice and the Riviera.

Anecdotes and legends

According to a local legend, it would be fed by the tears of Marie-madeleine crying over her fate in the cave of Holy the Balsam where it lived 33 years.

The black Vierge of Notre-Dame d' Huveaune is venerated since the sixteenth century near the mouth of Huveaune. Initially adored in the small monastery Saint-Saver (destroyed with the Revolution), it is now exposed in the vault Notre-Dame d' Huveaune of the parish church Saint-Giniez of Marseilles.

The Stade of Huveaune in the Southern districts of Marseilles accommodated the Olympique of Marseilles of 1904 to 1937, date on which the OM starts to evolve/move with the Stade Cycle-racing track.

External bond

Bank Hydro - Y4414030 Station - Huveaune with Roquevaire (Synthesis) (not to notch the box " Station in service")

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