Aar (Ill)

The Aar is a river in the administrative district of Bas-Rhin which crosses the municipalities of Strasbourg and Schiltigheim. It is an arm which separates from the Ill at the University bridge to rejoin it at lock no 51 in Schiltigheim. Together the Aar and the Ill form the island of Saint-Hélène.

Aar
Pont Abraham Deutsch
Location
Country	France
Region	Grand Est
Department	Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin
Physical characteristics
Source	Ill
• location	Strasbourg
• coordinates	48°35′07″N 7°45′32″E
Mouth	Ill
• location	Schiltigheim
• coordinates	48°36′10″N 7°45′55″E
Length	3 kilometres (1.9 mi)
Basin features
River system	Rhine

Geography

The Aar is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long. It separates from the Ill at the southern tip of Île Sainte-Hélène, near St. Paul's Church, Strasbourg, and crosses the Contades and Wacken neighborhoods. It rejoins the Ill at Schiltigheim after having crossed the Marne–Rhine Canal thanks to a dam with several gates.

Environment

There is a walking route, the "two rivers route", and sports equipment along the banks of the river. The river borders the Aar Park, which has allotment gardens and the sports complex. The river flows through a calm, green landscape, and is used by coypus and birds such as kingfishers, herons, cormorants, swans, coots and moorhens. There are old wash-houses along the bank. The river is used for canoeing and kayaking.

Gallery

• 
  Pont de la Protestation
• 
  The Aar and the Vosges Bridge in Strasbourg
• 
  Pont Abraham Deutsch

Sources

• Cours d'eau - L'Aar, Sandre; Service d'administration nationale des données et référentiels sur l'eau, retrieved 2021-11-20
• Rives de l'Aar (in French), Schiltigheim, retrieved 2021-11-20
• "Strasbourg, Circular Tour of the River Aar", strasbourgeauxvives.org, retrieved 2021-11-20