The 'Ill' ([il]) is a
river in
Alsace, in north-eastern
France. It is a left-side, or western tributary of the
Rhine.
It starts down from its source near the village of
Winkel, in the
Jura mountains, and then runs northward through Alsace, flowing parallel to the Rhine. It receives several tributaries from the
Vosges mountains, including the
Doller,
Souffel and the
Thur. The Ill passes through
Mulhouse,
Colmar and
Sélestat before meeting with the Rhine beneath
Strasbourg.
Flowing through the city of Strasbourg, the river forms part of the 17th century fortifications and passes through a series of locks and channels in the picturesque old town, including the
Petite-France district, where its waters were once used to power mills and tanneries.