The Seine River enters the city of Paris at the southeast corner, travels north, and exits Paris at the southwest corner. Because of this, there are no specific banks of the river, leaving Parisians to refer to the "right and left banks" when facing downstream.

Quick Facts on the Seine (there will be a quiz):

* second longest river in France (485 miles [780 kilometers] long)

* empties into the English Channel

* drains an area of about 30,400 square miles (78700 square kilometers)

* carries most of the French inland waterway traffic