What is "paillon"

Paillon \Pail`lon"\, n.; pl. -lions. [F., fr. paille straw.] A thin leaf of metal, as for use in gilding or enameling, or to show through a translucent medium.

The Paillon ( Nissard Occitan: Palhon) is a coastal river of the Alpes-Maritimes that flows into the Mediterranean Sea in Nice, near the old district. Its source is north of Lucéram. It flows generally south, through L'Escarène, Peillon, Drap (where it meets its main tributary Paillon de Contes), La Trinité, and finally Nice.

The region of the Paillon and the Paillon de Contes is called pays des Paillons. The Paillon is covered in its last kilometers in the city of Nice, bearing Guillaume Apollinaire High School and Acropolis congress centre.

It is a typical Mediterranean river, with low water level throughout the year and violent floods during autumn and sometimes during spring.