Joyeuse (river) explained

Joyeuse
Pushpin Map:France#France Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Mouth Coordinates:43.3536°N -1.0261°W
Subdivision Type1:Country
Length:27km (17miles)

The Joyeuse (in French pronounced as /ʒwajøz/; Basque: Iholdiko erreka) is a left tributary of the Bidouze, in the French Basque Country (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), in the Southwest of France. It is 26.7km (16.6miles) long.

Name

Its name Joyeuse, that applies also to the Aran and one of its tributaries, is in legend the name of the sword of Charlemagne. It was attributed after the battle of Roncevaux. At this time, many breaches or narrow passes in the Pyrenees were renamed in reference to Roland.

Geography

The Joyeuse rises in Iholdy and flows into the Bidouze in Saint-Palais.

Départements and towns

Main tributaries