Couesnon

Couesnon
The Couesnon near Pontorson
Couesnon is located in France
Couesnon
Couesnon is located in Brittany
Couesnon
Native nameLe Couesnon (French)
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNormandy
Mouth 
 • location
English Channel
 • coordinates
48°37′4″N 1°30′41″W / 48.61778°N 1.51139°W / 48.61778; -1.51139
Length97.8 km (60.8 mi)
Basin size1,124 km2 (434 sq mi)

The Couesnon (French pronunciation: [kwenɔ̃]; Breton: Kouenon) is a river running from the département of Mayenne in north-western France, forming an estuary at Mont Saint-Michel. It is 97.8 km (60.8 mi) long, and its drainage basin is 1,124 km2 (434 sq mi).[1] Its final stretch forms the border between the historical duchies of Normandy and Brittany. Its historically irregular course, alternating between two beds on the north and south of the Mont Saint-Michel but eventually definitely settling to the south bed, inspired the saying "The Couesnon in its madness placed the Mont in Normandy" ("le Couesnon en sa folie mit le Mont en Normandie"), as the Mont is just to the Norman side of the river's current mouth. However, the administrative boundary separating the two regions does not depend on the course of the river, and is about six kilometers west of the Mont.

Harold Godwinson and his men cross flumen Cosnonis (the Cousesnon); Bayeux Tapestry
The mouth of the Couesnon, at Mont Saint-Michel
  1. ^ Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - Couesnon (J0--0150)".