Né (river)


The Né is a 66.1 km long river in the Charente and Charente-Maritime départements, in southwestern France.

Communes and cantons crossed

The Né flows through 28 towns and 7 cantons:
In upstream to downstream order, Bécheresse, Voulgézac, Pérignac, Blanzac-Porcheresse, Saint-Léger, Péreuil, Ladiville, Nonaville, Vignolles, Viville, Saint-Médard, Touzac, Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Lagarde-sur-le-Né, Lachaise, Criteuil-la-Magdeleine, Verrières, Saint-Palais-du-Né, Cierzac, Saint-Fort-sur-le-Né, Germignac, Saint-Martial-sur-Né, Celles, Salles-d'Angles, Gimeux, Ars, Salignac-sur-Charente, Saint-Laurent-de-Cognac.
In terms of cantons, the Né runs from the township of Blanzac-Porcheresse, through the canton of Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, canton of Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, canton of Segonzac, canton of Archiac, canton of Cognac-Sud, converging in the canton of Pons.

Hydronymy and names

The ancient forms are "aquam vocatam Net" around 1090, "usque ad Ne" around 1145, "in riberia Neti et in terris ultra Netum" in the 12th century, "prope Nedum" in 1229, "prope fluvium Ne" in the first quarter of the 13th century, "in loco qui dicitur Capd Nedi" around 1300. The name may have a Celtic root.
The Né gives its name to four municipalities: Lagarde-sur-le-Né, Saint-Fort-sur-le-Né, Saint-Martial-sur-Né, Saint-Palais-du-Né.