The Durance river travels 189 miles (305 km) between its source south of Montgenèvre at an altitude of 7,841 ft (2,390 m) and its confluence with the Rhône. The watercourse owes its originality to its slope, which remains relatively high even in the lower section of the river and partially contributes to its torrential character. The difference in level of the Durance indeed reaches 6,856 ft (2,090 m) between its source and its confluence with the Rhône. In its middle and lower part, its course widens and it flows in an alluvial plain that can reach several kilometers in width.