The Creuse (; ) is a long river in western France, a tributary of the Vienne. Its source is in the Plateau de Millevaches, a north-western extension of the Massif Central. Course The Creuse flows northwest through the following departments and towns: Creuse department (named after the river): Aubusson. Indre department: Argenton-sur-Creuse, Le Blanc. Indre-et-Loire department : Yzeures-sur-Creuse, Descartes Vienne department: La Roche-Posay The Creuse flows into the Vienne about north of Châtellerault. It receives its longest tributary, the Gartempe, in La Roche-Posay. The Creuse valley is the setting for paintings by the so-called Crozant School, including works by Armand Guillaumin and a series of vivid landscapes by the Bordeaux artist Alfred Smith. Dams and lakes There are six hydroelectric dams on the river. Three are in the Creuse département with one at Chambon-Sainte-Croix above Anzême, one at Les Chezelles near Le Bourg-d'Hem and one at L'Âge upstream of La Celle-Dunoise. The remaining three are in the Indre including the Éguzon Dam which was opened in 1926 and was, at the time, the largest dam in Europe. The lakes created by the dams are popular tourist destinations and several have artificial beaches and leisure facilities. Main tributaries Left bank: Beauze Sédelle Gartempe Right bank: Rozeille Petite Creuse Bouzanne Bouzanteuil Suin Claise Esves References External links Rivers of Centre-Val de Loire Rivers of Creuse Rivers of France Rivers of Indre Rivers of Indre-et-Loire Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine Rivers of Vienne