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The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône.
It rises in the southeastern quarter of the French
Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...
in the Cévennes
The Cévennes ( , ; oc, Cevenas) is a cultural region and range of mountains in south-central France, on the south-east edge of the Massif Central. It covers parts of the ''départements'' of Ardèche, Gard, Hérault and Lozère. Rich in geogr ...
range (in the department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
of Ardèche
Ardèche (; oc, Ardecha; frp, Ardecha) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.Mont Gerbier de Jonc; it flows north through
The source of the river lies in the eastern
Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
to Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
and (US) and Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
until it reaches the Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
(Atlantic Ocean) at Saint-Nazaire. Its main tributaries include the rivers Nièvre
Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
and the Erdre on its right bank, and the rivers Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
, Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
, Indre, Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise () is a river in the Pays de la Loire regions in western France. It is a left-bank tributary of the Loire. Its total length is . Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres department, near Secondigny. It flows from south to north thro ...
on the left bank.
The Loire gives its name to six departments: Loire, Haute-Loire, Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique (; br, Liger-Atlantel; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', br, Liger-Izelañ, link=no) is a department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. It had a population ...
, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire () is a department in the Loire Valley in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France. It is named after the two rivers, Maine and the Loire. It borders Mayenne and Sarthe to the north, Loire-Atlantique to the west, Indre-et-L ...
, and Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part.
Saône-et-Loire is B ...
. The lower-central swathe of its valley straddling the Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire (; ; br, Broioù al Liger) is one of the 18 regions of France, in the west of the mainland. It was created in the 1950s to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful of "balancing metropolises" ().
...
and Centre-Val de Loire
Centre-Val de Loire (, , ,In isolation, ''Centre'' is pronounced . ) or Centre Region (french: région Centre, link=no, ), as it was known until 2015, is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France. It straddles the middle Loire Valle ...
regions was added to the World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
list of UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
on December 2, 2000. Vineyards
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
and châteaux are found along the banks of the river throughout this section and are a major tourist attraction.
The human history of the Loire river valley is thought by some to begin with the Middle Palaeolithic
The Middle Paleolithic (or Middle Palaeolithic) is the second subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. The term Middle Stone Age is used as an equivalent or a synonym for the Middle Paleoli ...
period of 90–40 kya (thousand years ago), followed by modern humans (about 30 kya), succeeded by the Neolithic period
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several part ...
(6,000 to 4,500 BC), all of the recent Stone Age in Europe. Then came the Gauls, the local tribes during the Iron Age period of 1500 to 500 BC. They used the Loire as a key trading route by 600 BC, using pack horses to link its trade, such as the metals of the Armorican Massif
The Armorican Massif (french: Massif armoricain, ) is a geologic massif that covers a large area in the northwest of France, including Brittany, the western part of Normandy and the Pays de la Loire. It is important because it is connected to Do ...
, with Phoenicia
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histo ...
and Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...
via Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...
on the Rhône. Gallic rule ended in the valley in 56 BC when Julius Caesar conquered the adjacent provinces for Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (Romulus and Remus, legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
...
. Christianity was introduced into this valley from the 3rd century AD, as missionaries (many later recognized as saints
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ortho ...
), converted the pagans Pagans may refer to:
* Paganism, a group of pre-Christian religions practiced in the Roman Empire
* Modern Paganism, a group of contemporary religious practices
* Order of the Vine, a druidic faction in the ''Thief'' video game series
* Pagan's M ...
. In this period, settlers established vineyards and began producing wines.
The Loire Valley has been called the "Garden of France" and is studded with over a thousand château
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Nowaday ...
x, each with distinct architectural embellishments covering a wide range of variations, from the early medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
to the late Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
periods. They were originally created as feudal strongholds, over centuries past, in the strategic divide between southern and northern France; now many are privately owned.
Etymology
The name "Loire" comes from Latin ''Liger'', which is itself a transcription of the nativeGaulish
Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerl ...
(Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foo ...
) name of the river. The Gaulish name comes from the Gaulish word '' liga'', which means "silt, sediment, deposit, alluvium", a word that gave French '' lie'', as in ''sur lie
Lees are deposits of dead yeast or residual yeast and other particles that precipitate, or are carried by the action of " fining", to the bottom of a vat of wine after fermentation and aging. The same while brewing beer at a brewery is known as ...
'', which in turn gave English '' lees''.
''Liga'' comes from the Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo- ...
root *''legʰ-'', meaning "to lie, lay" as in the Welsh word ''Lleyg'', and also which gave many words in English, such as to lie, to lay, ledge, law, etc.
Geography
The source of the river lies in the eastern Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...
, in springs to the south side of Mont Gerbier de Jonc at . This lies in the north-eastern part of the southern Cévennes
The Cévennes ( , ; oc, Cevenas) is a cultural region and range of mountains in south-central France, on the south-east edge of the Massif Central. It covers parts of the ''départements'' of Ardèche, Gard, Hérault and Lozère. Rich in geogr ...
highlands, in the Ardèche
Ardèche (; oc, Ardecha; frp, Ardecha) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.Sainte-Eulalie of southeastern France. It is originally a mere trickle of water located at above sea-level. The presence of an 
The Loire changed its course, due to tectonic deformations, from the original outfall into the English Channel to its new outfall into the Atlantic Ocean thereby forming today's narrow terrain of gorges, the Loire Valley with alluvium formations and the long stretch of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. The river can be divided into three main zones:
* the Upper Loire, the area from the source to the confluence with the Allier
* the middle Loire Valley, the area from the Allier to the confluence with the Maine, about
* the Lower Loire, the area from Maine to the estuary
In the upper basin the river flows through a narrow, incised valley, marked by gorges and forests on the edges and a distinct low population. In the intermediate section, the alluvial plain broadens and the river meanders and forks into multiple channels. River flow is particularly high in the river area near
aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characteris ...
under Mont Gerbier de Jonc gives rise to multiple sources, three of them located at the foot of Mount have been highlighted as river sources. The three streams converge to form the Loire, which descends the valley south of Mount through the village of Sainte-Eulalie itself.
The Loire changed its course, due to tectonic deformations, from the original outfall into the English Channel to its new outfall into the Atlantic Ocean thereby forming today's narrow terrain of gorges, the Loire Valley with alluvium formations and the long stretch of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. The river can be divided into three main zones:
* the Upper Loire, the area from the source to the confluence with the Allier
* the middle Loire Valley, the area from the Allier to the confluence with the Maine, about
* the Lower Loire, the area from Maine to the estuary
In the upper basin the river flows through a narrow, incised valley, marked by gorges and forests on the edges and a distinct low population. In the intermediate section, the alluvial plain broadens and the river meanders and forks into multiple channels. River flow is particularly high in the river area near Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
and Vichy
Vichy (, ; ; oc, Vichèi, link=no, ) is a city in the Allier department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, in the historic province of Bourbonnais.
It is a spa and resort town and in World War II was the capital of Vich ...
up to the confluence with the Allier. In the middle section of the river in the Loire Valley, numerous dikes built between the 12th and 19th century exist, providing mitigation against flooding. In this section the river is relatively straight, except for the area near Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and The lower course of the river is characterized by wetlands and fens, which are of major importance to conservation, given that they form unique habitats for migratory birds.
The Loire flows roughly northward through
(US) and The lower course of the river is characterized by wetlands and fens, which are of major importance to conservation, given that they form unique habitats for migratory birds.
The Loire flows roughly northward through Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
and Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
to Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
to (US) and Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
, where it forms an estuary. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean at between Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brevin-les-Pins
Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (; also ; br, Sant-Brewenn) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.
It is known as the site of the serpent d'océan, a giant sea serpent sculpture by artist Huang Yong Ping.
Population
Histor ...
, connected by a bridge over the river near its mouth. Several départements of France
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety- ...
were named after the Loire. The Loire flows through the following départements and towns:
* Ardèche
Ardèche (; oc, Ardecha; frp, Ardecha) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.Haute-Loire
** Le Puy-en-Velay
* Loire
** Feurs
**
Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
* Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part.
Saône-et-Loire is B ...
** Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
* Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
* Nièvre
Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.
Geography
The town is situated on a former island in the Loire ("en Loire assise") at the confluence of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim l ...
** Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
** La Charité-sur-Loire
** Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire
Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire () is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. The commune was formed in 1973 by the merger of the former communes Cosne-sur-Loire and Cours.
Geography
Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire lies on the right bank of the Lo ...
* Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
** Sancerre
Sancerre () is a medieval hilltop town (ville) and commune in the Cher department, France overlooking the river Loire. It is noted for its wine.
History
Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the Bi ...
* Loiret
** Briare
Briare (, also known as Briare-le-Canal) is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France, in the historical region of Puisaye. The composer and organist Henri Nibelle (1883–1967) was born in Briare.
Briare, the ''Brivodorum'' of ...
** Gien
** Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Loir-et-Cher **
Its main tributaries include the rivers
(US) and Loir-et-Cher **
Blois
Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours.
With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the d ...
* Indre-et-Loire
** Amboise
Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court.
Geography
Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...
** Tours
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
* Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire () is a department in the Loire Valley in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France. It is named after the two rivers, Maine and the Loire. It borders Mayenne and Sarthe to the north, Loire-Atlantique to the west, Indre-et-L ...
:
** Montsoreau
Montsoreau () is a commune of the Loire Valley in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast and from Paris. The village is listed among '' The Most Beautiful Villages of France'' (french: Les Plus Be ...
** Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
* Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique (; br, Liger-Atlantel; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', br, Liger-Izelañ, link=no) is a department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. It had a population ...
** Ancenis
Ancenis (; ) is a former commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Ancenis-Saint-Géréon. It is a former sub-prefecture of the department, and was the seat of the form ...
** Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
** Saint-Nazaire
The Loire Valley in the Loire river basin, is a stretch in the western reach of the river starting with Orléans and terminating at Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
, short of the Loire estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The tidal stretch of the river extends to a length of and a width of , which has oil refineries, the port of Saint-Nazaire and of wetland whose formation is dated to 7500 BC (caused by inundation by sea waters on the northern bank of the estuary), and the beaches of Le Croisic and La Baule
La Baule-Escoublac (; br, Ar Baol-Skoubleg, ), commonly referred to as La Baule, is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, Pays de la Loire, western France.
A century-old seaside resort in southern Brittany with villas, casino, luxury ...
along the coastline.Williams & Boone, p. 33
Tributaries
Its main tributaries include the rivers Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
, Nièvre
Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Erdre on its right bank, and the rivers
Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
, Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
, Indre, Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise () is a river in the Pays de la Loire regions in western France. It is a left-bank tributary of the Loire. Its total length is . Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres department, near Secondigny. It flows from south to north thro ...
on the left bank. The largest tributary of the river is the Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
, in length, which joins the Loire near the town of Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
at . Downstream of Nevers lies the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
due to its fine assortment of castles. The second-longest tributary, the Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Candes-Saint-Martin
Candes-Saint-Martin () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, central France. It overlooks the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers from a steep hill on the left bank of the Loire, and marks the boundary between the modern department ...
at , followed by the Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
, which joins the Loire near Cinq-Mars-la-Pile at and the Indre, which joins the Loire near Néman at .
* Acheneau (in Le Pellerin)
* Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise () is a river in the Pays de la Loire regions in western France. It is a left-bank tributary of the Loire. Its total length is . Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres department, near Secondigny. It flows from south to north thro ...
(in Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
)
* Erdre (in Nantes)
* Èvre (in Le Marillais)
* Layon
The Layon () is a long river in the Deux-Sèvres and Maine-et-Loire departments in western France. Its source is near Saint-Maurice-la-Fougereuse. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Loire, into which it flows near Chalo ...
(in Chalonnes-sur-Loire
Chalonnes-sur-Loire is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. It is located on the left bank of the river Loire in the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site area.
Geography
The town is in the heart of the Anjou, a his ...
)
* Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
(near Angers
Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...
)
** Mayenne
Mayenne () is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Ille-et ...
(near Angers)
*** Oudon
Oudon () is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.
Population
Gallery
ChateauDeOudon-20120401.jpg, Oudon Castle
OudonMenhir 4.jpg, Menhir of "Pierre blanche"
Town twinning
* Batheaston, Somerset, Great Britain
...
(in Le Lion-d'Angers
Le Lion-d'Angers is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Andigné was merged into Le Lion-d'Angers.Verzée (in
Segré
Segré () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 15 December 2016, it was merged into the new commune Segré-en-Anjou Bleu.Ernée (in Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne)
** Sarthe (near Angers)
***
Loir
The Loir () is a long river in western France. It is a left tributary of the Sarthe. Its source is in the Eure-et-Loir department, north of Illiers-Combray. It joins the river Sarthe in Briollay, north of the city of Angers.
It is indirectly a ...
(north of Angers)
**** Braye (in Pont-de-Braye)
**** Aigre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir
Cloyes-sur-le-Loir (, literally ''Cloyes on the Loir'') is a former commune on the River Loir, a few kilometres south of the town of Châteaudun in the department of Eure-et-Loir in northern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new ...
)
**** Yerre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir)
**** Conie (near Châteaudun
Châteaudun () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It was the site of the Battle of Châteaudun during the Franco-Prussian War.
Geography
Châteaudun is located about 45& ...
)
**** Ozanne
The Ozanne is a 46.0 km long French river, a tributary of the Loir, which is a tributary of the Loire.
Geography
The river spring is located at Perche-Gouët, Béthonvilliers at 222 m high at le Burail locality in le Bois de Beaumont.
2 ...
(in Bonneval)
*** Vaige
The Vaige () is a long river in the Mayenne and Sarthe departments in western France.
This list is ordered from source to mouth:
*In Mayenne, the Vaige has its source in Saint-Léger then waters the following villages: Vaiges, Saint-Georges ...
(in Sablé-sur-Sarthe
Sablé-sur-Sarthe (, literally ''Sablé on Sarthe''), commonly referred to as Sablé, is a commune in the Sarthe department, in the Pays de la Loire region, western France. It is about 50 km northeast of Angers.
Population
Geography
The ...
)
*** Vègre
The Vègre () is an long river in the Sarthe department in western France. Its source is near Rouessé-Vassé. It flows generally south. It is a right tributary of the Sarthe
Sarthe () is a department of the French region of Pays de la Loire ...
(in Avoise)
*** Huisne (in Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le ...
)
* Authion (in Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire
Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire (, literally ''Sainte-Gemmes on Loire'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government ...
)
* Thouet
The Thouet () is a tributary of the Loire in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire regions of western France. The Thouet rises at Secondigny, close to the source of the Sèvre Nantaise, and joins the Loire just to the west of Saumur. It i ...
(near Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
)
** Dive
Diving most often refers to:
* Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water
* Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes
Diving or Dive may also refer to:
Sports
* Dive (American football), a ...
(near Saint-Just-sur-Dive)
** Losse (near Montreuil-Bellay
Montreuil-Bellay () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
It is located approximately 15 km to the south of Saumur, and is famous for the Château de Montreuil-Bellay, which is situated in the town.
Montreuil- ...
)
** Argenton (near Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay)
** Thouaret (near Taizé)
** Cébron (near Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet)
** Palais (near Parthenay
Parthenay () is an ancient fortified town and ''commune'' in the Deux-Sèvres department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. It is sited on a rocky spur that is surrounded on two sides by the River Thouet, and is the su ...
)
** Viette (near Parthenay)
* Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Montsoreau
Montsoreau () is a commune of the Loire Valley in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast and from Paris. The village is listed among '' The Most Beautiful Villages of France'' (french: Les Plus Be ...
and Candes-Saint-Martin
Candes-Saint-Martin () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, central France. It overlooks the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers from a steep hill on the left bank of the Loire, and marks the boundary between the modern department ...
)
** Creuse
Creuse (; oc, Cruesa or ) is a department in central France named after the river Creuse. After Lozère, it is the second least populated department in France. It is bordered by Indre and Cher to the north, Allier and Puy-de-Dôme to the eas ...
(north of Châtellerault
Châtellerault (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Châteulrô/Chateleràud''; oc, Chastelairaud) is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France. It is located in the northeast of the former province Poitou, and the re ...
)
*** Gartempe
The Gartempe () is a French river, long. It is a left tributary of the Creuse, which it joins in La Roche-Posay. Its source is in the municipality of Peyrabout.
Among its tributaries are the Anglin, the Brame, the Semme and the Ardour.
The ...
(in La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay () is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.
Demographics
See also
*Communes of the Vienne department
The following is a list of the 266 communes of the Vienne department of ...
)
**** Anglin (in Angles-sur-l'Anglin
Angles-sur-l'Anglin (, literally ''Angles on the Anglin'') is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. It has been selected as one of the most beautiful villages of France.
The Château d'Angles-s ...
)
***** Salleron (in Ingrandes)
***** Benaize (in Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize)
***** Abloux (in Prissac)
**** Brame (in Darnac)
**** Semme
The Semme () is a river in the Creuse and Haute-Vienne departments, in central France. Its source is in Saint-Priest-la-Feuille. It flows generally west and is a right tributary of the Gartempe, into which it flows near le Bouchard, a hamle ...
(in Droux)
*** Petite Creuse (in Fresselines)
** Clain
The Clain (; oc, Clen, link=yes) is a long river in western France, a left tributary of the river Vienne. Its source is near Hiesse, Charente.
The Clain flows generally north, through the following departments and towns:
*Charente
*Vienne: ...
(in Châtellerault)
*** Clouère
The Clouère (french: la Clouère, ) is a river that flows through the west-central French departments of Charente and Vienne. Its source is at Lessac, from which it flows generally northwest. It is a right tributary of the Clain, into which it ...
(in Château-Larcher
Château-Larcher (; Poitevin: ''Chât'lachèr / Chatelarchér'') is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.
Geography
The Clouère flows northwestward through the middle of the commune, forms part ...
)
** Briance
The Briance (; oc, Briança) is a long river in the Haute-Vienne ''département'', central France. Its source is at La Croisille-sur-Briance. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeai ...
(in Condat-sur-Vienne)
** Taurion
The Taurion (; oc, Taurion), as it is known in Haute-Vienne, or Thaurion, as it is known in Creuse, is a 107.5 km long river in western France, tributary of the Vienne river.
Its source is at an altitude of 785 m on the Plateau de Millevac ...
(in Saint-Priest-Taurion
Saint-Priest-Taurion (; oc, Sent Prech) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in west-central France. Its area code is 87178 and, its zip code is 87480.
See also
*Communes of the Haute-Vienne department
...
)
* Indre (east of Candes-Saint-Martin)
** Indrois (in Azay-sur-Indre)
* Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
(in Villandry
Villandry () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. The Château de Villandry is located there.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department
The following is a list of the 272 communes of the Ind ...
)
** Sauldre
The Sauldre (, ) is a long river in central France, a right tributary of the Cher. Its source is near the village of Montigny, southwest of Sancerre. The Sauldre flows generally northwest, through the following departments and towns:
* Cher: ...
(in Selles-sur-Cher
Selles-sur-Cher (, ) is a commune in the French department of Loir-et-Cher, administrative region of Centre-Val de Loire, France.
The name of the commune is known internationally for its goat cheese, Selles-sur-Cher, which was first made in the ...
)
*** Rère (in Villeherviers)
** Arnon (near Vierzon
Vierzon () is a commune in the Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire, France.
Geography
A medium-sized town by the banks of the river Cher with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north. It is situated some northwest ...
)
*** Théols
The Théols is a river in central France.
Its source is at near Bommiers, in the Boischaut natural region.
It joins the Arnon near Lazenay.
Hydrology
The flow of the river was studied from 1971 to 1975 at Sainte-Lizaigne, located about f ...
(in Bommiers)
** Yèvre (in Vierzon)
*** Auron (in Bourges
Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry.
History
The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, ...
)
*** Airain
The Airain or Airin is a long river in the Cher department in central France. Its source is at Nérondes. It flows generally west, with a U shape. It is a left tributary of the Yèvre, into which it flows at Savigny-en-Septaine, southeast of ...
(in Savigny-en-Septaine
Savigny-en-Septaine is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France.
Geography
A farming area comprising a village and a few hamlets situated about southeast of Bourges, at the junction of the D976 with the D46 a ...
)
** Tardes
Tardes (; oc, Tardas) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
Geography
A farming area comprising several small villages and hamlets situated by the banks of the river Tardes, some north of ...
(in Évaux-les-Bains)
*** Voueize (in Chambon-sur-Voueize
Chambon-sur-Voueize (, literally ''Chambon on Voueize''; oc, Chambon) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
Geography
An area of lakes, forestry and farming comprising a small town and sever ...
)
* Beuvron (in Chaumont-sur-Loire
Chaumont-sur-Loire (, ), commonly known as Chaumont, is a commune and town in the Loir-et-Cher department and the administrative region of Centre-Val de Loire, France, known for its historical defensive walls and its castle.
Château de Chaumont ...
)
** Cosson
The Cosson () is a long river in central France, a right tributary of the river Beuvron. Its source is near the village of Vannes-sur-Cosson, Sologne. The Cosson flows through the following departments and communes:
* Loiret: La Ferté-Saint ...
(in Candé-sur-Beuvron)
* Loiret (in Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Vauvise The Vauvise (french: la Vauvise) is a long river in the Cher department in central France. Its source is at Nérondes. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Loire, into which it flows at Saint-Satur, near Sancerre. Communes ...
(in Saint-Satur)
* (US) and Vauvise The Vauvise (french: la Vauvise) is a long river in the Cher department in central France. Its source is at Nérondes. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Loire, into which it flows at Saint-Satur, near Sancerre. Communes ...
Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
(near Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
)
** Sioule (in La Ferté-Hauterive)
*** Bouble
The Bouble () is a long river in the Allier and Puy-de-Dôme departments in south central France. Its source is at Gouttières. It flows generally northeast. It is a left tributary of the Sioule into which it flows between Saint-Pourçain-su ...
(in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule (, literally ''Saint-Pourçain on Sioule''; Auvergnat: ''Sant Porçanh de Siula'') is a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France. It is named after Saint Pourçain, a 6th century A ...
)
** Dore (near Puy-Guillaume)
** Allagnon (near Jumeaux)
** Senouire
The Senouire (; oc, Senoira) is a long river in the Haute-Loire'' département'', south-central France. Its source is at Sembadel. It flows generally west. It is a right tributary of the Allier into which it flows between Fontannes and Vieill ...
(near Brioude
Brioude (; Auvergnat: ''Briude'') is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-central France. It lies on the banks of the river Allier, a tributary of the Loire.
History
At Brioude, the ancient ''Br ...
)
** Ance Ance may refer to:
* Ance (given name), a feminine given name
* Ance, Latvia
* Ance, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Ance (; Gascon: ''Ansa'') is a former commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. ...
(in Monistrol-d'Allier
Monistrol-d'Allier (, literally ''Monistrol of Allier''; oc, Monistròl d'Alèir) is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Haute-Loire department
The following is a list of th ...
)
** Chapeauroux
The Chapeauroux () is a long river in the Lozère and Haute-Loire ''départements'', south-central France. Its source is near Estables, in the Margeride. It flows generally northeast. It is a left tributary of the Allier into which it flows bet ...
(in Saint-Christophe-d'Allier)
* Nièvre
Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Nevers
Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...
)
* Acolin (near Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.
Geography
The town is situated on a former island in the Loire ("en Loire assise") at the confluence of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim l ...
)
* Aron
Aron may refer to:
Characters
*Aron (comics), from the Marvel Universe comic ''Aron! HyperSpace Boy!''
*Aron (Pokémon), in the ''Pokémon'' franchise
* Aron Trask, from John Steinbeck's novel ''East of Eden''
*Áron or Aaron, the brother of Mos ...
(in Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.
Geography
The town is situated on a former island in the Loire ("en Loire assise") at the confluence of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim l ...
)
** Alène
The Alène () is a long river in the Nièvre department in central France. Its source is at Poil, about west of the village, in the '' parc naturel régional du Morvan''. It flows generally west. It is a left tributary of the Aron, into which ...
(in Cercy-la-Tour
Cercy-la-Tour () is a commune in the Nièvre
Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Besbre
The Besbre () is a river in central France, a left tributary of the Loire. It is long. Its source is on the mountain of Puy de Montoncel, northeast of Thiers, in the Massif Central. The Besbre flows generally north, through the following departm ...
(near Dompierre-sur-Besbre
Dompierre-sur-Besbre (, literally ''Dompierre on Besbre'') is a commune in the Allier department in central France.
Le Pal is an animal theme park in the municipality area of Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, close to Dompierre-sur-Besbre.
Populati ...
)
* Arroux
The Arroux () is a river in central France. It is a right tributary of the Loire. It is long. Its source is east of Arnay-le-Duc, in Côte-d'Or. The Arroux flows generally south through the following departments and towns:
* Côte-d'Or: Arnay ...
(in Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
)
** Bourbince (in Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
)
* Arconce (in Varenne-Saint-Germain)
* Lignon du Forez
The Lignon du Forez (, literally ''Lignon of the Forez''; also called ''Lignon de Chalmazel'', literally ''Lignon of Chalmazel'') is a long river in the Loire department, east-central France. Its source is near Chalmazel. It flows generally ea ...
(in Feurs)
* Furan (in Andrézieux-Bouthéon
Andrézieux-Bouthéon (; frp, link=no, Andrèsiô-Botion) is a commune of the Loire department in central France. It lies on the right bank of the river Loire, at its confluence with the river Furan.
Population
Sights
* Le Château Bouthéo ...
)
* Ondaine
The Ondaine or Ondenon is a river in the Loire department of France. It is a right tributary of the Loire.
Geography
The Ondaine has its source in the woods of Neyranche in the commune of Planfoy at an elevation of , where it is called the Ond ...
(in Unieux)
* Lignon du Velay (in Monistrol-sur-Loire
Monistrol-sur-Loire is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.
The middle stretches of the river have many limestone caves which were inhabited by humans in the prehistoric era; the caves are several types of limestone formations, namely tuffeau (a porous type of
The river has a discharge rate of , which is an average over the period 1967–2008.
The discharge rate varies strongly along the river, with roughly at Orléans and at the mouth. It also depends strongly on the season, and the flow of only is not uncommon in August–September near Orléans. During floods, which usually occur in February and March but also in other periods, the flow sometimes exceeds for the Upper Loire and in the Lower Loire. The most serious floods occurred in 1856, 1866 and 1911. Unlike most other rivers in western Europe, there are very few dams or locks creating obstacles to its natural flow. The flow is no longer partly regulated by three dams: Grangent Dam and Villerest Dam on the Loire and Naussac Dam on the
The French language adjective ''ligérien'' is derived from the name of the Loire, as in ''le climat ligérien'' ("the climate of the Loire Valley"). The climate is considered the most pleasant of northern France, with warmer winters and, more generally, fewer extremes in temperatures, rarely exceeding . It is identified as temperate maritime climate, and is characterised by the lack of dry seasons and by heavy rains and snowfall in winter, especially in the upper streams. The number of sunny hours per year varies between 1400 and 2200 and increases from northwest to southeast.
The Loire Valley, in particular, enjoys a pleasant temperate climate. The region experiences a rainfall of along the coast and inland.
The Centre region of the Loire river valley accounts for the largest forest in France, the forest of Orléans (French: Forêt d'Orléans), covering an area of , and the forested park known as the "Foret de Chambord". Other vegetation in the valley, mostly under private control, consists of tree species of oak,
chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Chalk ...
, not to be confused with tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water in unheated rivers or lakes. Geothermally heated hot springs sometimes produce similar (but less porous) carbonate deposits, which are known as travertine ...
) and Falun (formed 12 million years ago). The coastal zone shows hard dark stones, granite, schist and thick soil mantle.
Discharge and flood regulation
The river has a discharge rate of , which is an average over the period 1967–2008.
The discharge rate varies strongly along the river, with roughly at Orléans and at the mouth. It also depends strongly on the season, and the flow of only is not uncommon in August–September near Orléans. During floods, which usually occur in February and March but also in other periods, the flow sometimes exceeds for the Upper Loire and in the Lower Loire. The most serious floods occurred in 1856, 1866 and 1911. Unlike most other rivers in western Europe, there are very few dams or locks creating obstacles to its natural flow. The flow is no longer partly regulated by three dams: Grangent Dam and Villerest Dam on the Loire and Naussac Dam on the Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
. The Villerest dam, built in 1985 a few kilometres (a few miles) south of Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
, has played a key-role in preventing recent flooding. As a result, the Loire is a very popular river for boating excursions, flowing through a pastoral countryside, past limestone cliffs and historic castles. Four nuclear power plants are located on the river: Belleville, Chinon, Dampierre and Saint-Laurent.
Navigation
In 1700 the port of Nantes numbered more inland waterway craft than any other port in France, testifying to the historic importance of navigation on France’s longest river. Shallow-draught ''gabares'' and other river craft continued to transport goods into the industrial era, including coal from Saint-Étienne loaded on to barges in Orléans. However, the hazardous free-flow navigation and limited tonnages meant that railways rapidly killed off the surviving traffic from the 1850s. In 1894 a company was set up to promote improvements to the navigation from Nantes to Briare. The works were authorised in 1904 and carried out in two phases from Angers to the limit of tides at Oudon. These works, with groynes and submersible embankments, survive and contribute to the limited navigability under present-day conditions. A dam across the Loire at Saint-Léger-des-Vignes provides navigable conditions to cross from theCanal du Nivernais
The Canal du Nivernais links the Loire with the Seine, following approximately the course of the river Yonne in a south to north direction. It first climbs northeast and north to cross the Morvan watershed, then roughly follows the course of the ...
to the Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal latéral à la Loire (, "canal parallel to the Loire") was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of . It replaced the use of the river Loire, which wa ...
.
, the following sections are navigable:
*Loire maritime: 53 km from the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Nazaire to Nantes, no locks
*Loire: 84 km from Nantes to Bouchemaine near Angers, no locks
*Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal latéral à la Loire (, "canal parallel to the Loire") was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of . It replaced the use of the river Loire, which wa ...
: 196 km from Briare
Briare (, also known as Briare-le-Canal) is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France, in the historical region of Puisaye. The composer and organist Henri Nibelle (1883–1967) was born in Briare.
Briare, the ''Brivodorum'' of ...
to Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
, parallel to the river, 36 locks
* Canal de Roanne à Digoin: 56 km from Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
to Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
, parallel to the river, 10 locks
Climate
The French language adjective ''ligérien'' is derived from the name of the Loire, as in ''le climat ligérien'' ("the climate of the Loire Valley"). The climate is considered the most pleasant of northern France, with warmer winters and, more generally, fewer extremes in temperatures, rarely exceeding . It is identified as temperate maritime climate, and is characterised by the lack of dry seasons and by heavy rains and snowfall in winter, especially in the upper streams. The number of sunny hours per year varies between 1400 and 2200 and increases from northwest to southeast.
The Loire Valley, in particular, enjoys a pleasant temperate climate. The region experiences a rainfall of along the coast and inland.
Flora
The Centre region of the Loire river valley accounts for the largest forest in France, the forest of Orléans (French: Forêt d'Orléans), covering an area of , and the forested park known as the "Foret de Chambord". Other vegetation in the valley, mostly under private control, consists of tree species of oak, beech
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
and pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...
. In the marshy lands, ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non-gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
, alder
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spe ...
and willows
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...
are grown with duckweed providing the needed natural fertilizing effect. The Atlantic coast is home to several aquatic herbs, the important species is Salicornia
''Salicornia'' is a genus of succulent, halophytic (salt tolerant) flowering plants in the family Amaranthaceae that grow in salt marshes, on beaches, and among mangroves. ''Salicornia'' species are native to North America, Europe, Central Asia ...
, which is used as a culinary ingredient on account of its diuretic
A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics in ...
value. Greeks introduced vine
A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselve ...
s. Romans introduced melon
A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a " pepo". The ...
s, apples, cherries
A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit).
Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The na ...
, quince
The quince (; ''Cydonia oblonga'') is the sole member of the genus ''Cydonia'' in the Malinae subtribe (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits) of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic bright ...
s and pear
Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...
s during the Middle Ages, apart from extracting saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...
from purple crocus species in the Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Reine claude ('' Prunus domestica italica'') tree species was planted in the gardens of the Château. Asparagus was also brought from northwestern France.Williams & Boone, p. 35-36
Nearly every freshwater fish species of France can be found in the Loire river basin, that is, about 57 species from 20 families. Many of them are migratory, with 11 species ascending the river for spawning. The most common species are the
(US) and Reine claude ('' Prunus domestica italica'') tree species was planted in the gardens of the Château. Asparagus was also brought from northwestern France.Williams & Boone, p. 35-36
Wildlife
The river flows through the continental ecoregions ofMassif central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...
and Bassin Parisien south and in its Lower course partly through South Atlantic and Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...
.
Plankton
With more than 100alga
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular micr ...
species, the Loire has the highest phytoplankton diversity among French rivers. The most abundant are diatom
A diatom ( Neo-Latin ''diatoma''), "a cutting through, a severance", from el, διάτομος, diátomos, "cut in half, divided equally" from el, διατέμνω, diatémno, "to cut in twain". is any member of a large group comprising se ...
s and green algae (about 15% by mass) which mostly occur in the lower reaches. Their total mass is low when the river flow exceeds and become significant at flows of or lower which occur in summer. With decreasing flow, first species which appear are single-celled diatoms such as '' Cyclostephanos invisitatus'', ''C. meneghiniana'', ''S. Hantzschii'' and ''Thalassiosira pseudonana
''Thalassiosira pseudonana'' is a species of marine centric diatoms. It was chosen as the first eukaryotic marine phytoplankton for whole genome sequencing. ''T. pseudonana'' was selected for this study because it is a model for diatom physiolog ...
''. They are then joined by multicellular forms including '' Fragilaria crotonensis'', '' Nitzschia fruticosa'' and '' Skeletonema potamos'', as well as green algae which form star-shaped or prostrate colonies. Whereas the total biomass is low in the upper reaches, the biodiversity is high, with more than 250 taxa at Orléans. At high flows and in the upper reaches the fraction of the green algae decrease and the phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms. Heterotrophic bacteria are represented by cocci
A coccus (plural cocci) is any bacterium or archaeon that has a spherical, ovoid, or generally round shape. Bacteria are categorized based on their shapes into three classes: cocci (spherical-shaped), bacillus (rod-shaped) and spiral ( of wh ...
(49%), rods (35%), colonies (12%) and filaments (4%) with a total density of up to cells per litre.
Fish
Nearly every freshwater fish species of France can be found in the Loire river basin, that is, about 57 species from 20 families. Many of them are migratory, with 11 species ascending the river for spawning. The most common species are the Atlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest of the Salmonidae, behind Siberian taimen and Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to a meter in length. Atlantic salmon ar ...
(''Salmo salar''), sea trout
Sea trout is the common name usually applied to anadromous (sea-run) forms of brown trout (''Salmo trutta''), and is often referred to as ''Salmo trutta'' morpha ''trutta''. Other names for anadromous brown trout are sewin (Wales), peel or peal ...
(''Salmo trutta''), shad
The Alosinae, or the shads,Alosinae
s (''Alosa alosa'' and ''Alosa fallax''), sea lamprey (''Petromyzon marinus'') European river lamprey (''Lampetra fluviatilis'') and smelt (''Osmerus eperlanus''). The
Most amphibians of the Loire are found in the slow flow areas near the delta, especially in the floodplain, marshes and oxbows. They are dominated by the fire salamander (''Salamandra salamandra''), frogs and toads. The toads include ''
The Loire hosts about 64% of nesting bird species of France, that is 164 species, of which 54 are water birds, 44 species are common for managed forests, 41 to natural forests, 13 to open and 12 to rocky areas. This avifauna has been rather stable, at least between the 1980s and 2000s, with significant abundance variations observed only for 17 species. Of those, five species were growing in population, four declining, and other eight were fluctuating. Some of these variations had a global nature, such as the expansion of the
In 1986, the French government, the Loire-Brittany Water Agency and the EPALA settled an agreement on flood prevention and water
storage programme in the basin, involving construction of four large dams, one on the Loire itself and three on the Allier and Cher. The French government proposed a construction of a dam at Serre de la Fare on the upper Loire which would have been an environmental catastrophe, as it would have inundated some of pristine gorges. As a result, the WWF and other NGOs established the Loire Vivante (Living Loire) network in 1988 to oppose this and arranged an initial meeting with the French Minister of the Environment. The French government initially rejected the conservation concerns and in 1989 gave the projects the green light. This sparked public demonstrations by the WWF and conservation groups. In 1990, Loire Vivante met with the French Prime Minister and the government, successfully, as the government demanded that the EPALA embark upon major reforms in its approach to managing the river. Due to extensive lobbying, the proposal and the other dam proposals were eventually rejected in the 1990s. The gorges zone has since been protected as a ‘Natura 2000’ site under European Union environmental legislation.
The WWF were particularly important in changing the perception of the French authorities in support for dam building to environmental protection and sustainable management of its river basin. In 1992, they aided the ‘Loire Nature’ project, which received funds of some $US 9 million under the EU's ‘LIFE’ programme until 1999, embarking upon restoration to the river's ecosystems and wildlife. That year, the Upper Loire Valley Farmers Association was also established through a partnership between SOS Loire Vivante and a farmers’ union to promote sustainable rural tourism. The French government adopted the Natural Loire River Plan (Plan Loire Grandeur Nature) in January 1994, initiating the decommissioning of three dams on the river. The final dam was decommissioned by
s (''Alosa alosa'' and ''Alosa fallax''), sea lamprey (''Petromyzon marinus'') European river lamprey (''Lampetra fluviatilis'') and smelt (''Osmerus eperlanus''). The
European eel
The European eel (''Anguilla anguilla'') is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They are normally around and rarely reach more than , but can reach a length of up to in exceptional cases.
Eels have been important sources of ...
(''Anguilla anguilla'') is common in the upper streams, whereas the flounder (''Platichtys flesus'') and flathead mullet (''Mugil'' spp.) tend to stay near the river mouth. The tributaries host brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morp ...
(''Salmo trutta''), European bullhead
The European bullhead (''Cottus gobio'') is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the family Cottidae, a type of sculpin. It is also known as the miller's thumb, freshwater sculpin, common bu ...
(''Cottus gobio''), European brook lamprey
The brook lamprey (''Lampetra planeri'', also known as the European brook lamprey and the western brook lamprey) is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater environments. The species is related to, but distinct from, ...
(''Lampetra planeri''), zander
The zander (''Sander lucioperca''), sander or pikeperch, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Percidae, which includes the perches, ruffes and darters. It is found in freshwater and brackish habitats in western Eurasia. It is a popul ...
(''Sander lucioperca''), nase
''Chondrostoma'' (from the Ancient Greek roots (''khondros'') 'lump' + (''stoma'') 'mouth' = 'lump-mouth') is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. They are commonly known as nases, although this term is also used locally to den ...
(''Chondrostoma nasus'' and ''C. toxostoma'') and wels catfish
The wels catfish ( or ; ''Silurus glanis''), also called sheatfish or just wels, is a large species of catfish native to wide areas of central, southern, and eastern Europe, in the basins of the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas. It has been intro ...
(''Siluris glanis''). The endangered species include grayling (''Thymallus thymallus''), burbot (''Lota lota'') and bitterling
The bitterling-like cyprinids form the cyprinid subfamily Acheilognathinae. This subfamily contains four genera, although the Khanka spiny bitterling is often placed in '' Acheilognathus'', and at least 71 described species to date. Over half of ...
(''Rhodeus sericeus'') and the non-native species are represented by the rock bass
The rock bass (''Ambloplites rupestris''), also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, red eye, and black perch, is a freshwater fish native to east-central North America. This red eyed creature is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish fam ...
(''Ambloplites rupestris'').
Although only one native fish species has become extinct in the Loire, namely the European sea sturgeon
The European sea sturgeon (''Acipenser sturio''), also known as the Atlantic sturgeon or common sturgeon, is a species of sturgeon native to Europe. It was formerly abundant, being found in coastal habitats all over Europe. It is anadromous and ...
(''Acipenser sturio'') in the 1940s, the fish population is declining, mostly due to the decrease in the spawning areas. The latter are mostly affected by the industrial pollution, construction of dams and drainage of oxbow __NOTOC__
An oxbow is a U-shaped metal pole (or larger wooden frame) that fits the underside and the sides of the neck of an ox or bullock. A bow pin holds it in place.
The term " oxbow" is widely used to refer to a U-shaped meander in a river ...
s and swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
s. The loss of spawning grounds mostly affects the pike
Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to:
Fish
* Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus''
* Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes
* ''Esox'', genus ...
(''Esox lucius''), which is the major predator of the Loire, as well as eel, carp, rudd and salmon. The great Loire salmon, a subspecies of Atlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest of the Salmonidae, behind Siberian taimen and Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to a meter in length. Atlantic salmon ar ...
, is regarded as the symbolic fish of the river. Its population has decreased from about 100,000 in the 19th century to below 100 in the 1990s that resulted in the adoption of a total ban of salmon fishing in the Loire basin in 1984. A salmon restoration program was initiated in the 1980s and included such as measures as removal of two obsolete hydroelectric dams and introduction of juvenile stock. As a result, the salmon population increased to about 500 in 2005.
Amphibians
Most amphibians of the Loire are found in the slow flow areas near the delta, especially in the floodplain, marshes and oxbows. They are dominated by the fire salamander (''Salamandra salamandra''), frogs and toads. The toads include ''Bufo bufo
The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a frog found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in ...
'', ''Alytes obstetricans
The common midwife toad (''Alytes obstetricans'') is a species of midwife frog in the family Alytidae (formerly Discoglossidae). It is found in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the Unit ...
'', ''Bombina variegata
The yellow-bellied toad (''Bombina variegata'') belongs to the order Anura, the family Bombinatoridae, and the genus of fire-bellied toads. The toad is distributed mainly across western Europe as well as a handful of countries in eastern Europ ...
'', '' Bufo calamita'', ''Pelobates fuscus
''Pelobates fuscus'' is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Central Europe to Western Asia. It is commonly known as the common spadefoot, garlic toad, the common spadefoot toad and the European common sp ...
'' and ''Pelobates cultripes
''Pelobates cultripes'' is a toad species in the family Pelobatidae. It is known under many different common names, including the western spadefoot, Iberian spadefoot toad, Spanish spadefoot toad, and Wagler's spadefoot toad. It is found in most ...
''. The frogs are represented by the Parsley frog ('' Pelodites punctatus''), European tree frog
The European tree frog (''Hyla arborea'') is a small tree frog. As traditionally defined, it was found throughout much of Europe, Asia and northern Africa,Frost, Darrel R. ''Amphibian Species of the World''. Allen Press, Inc., 1985, p. 126. but b ...
(''Hyla arborea''), Common Frog
The common frog or grass frog (''Rana temporaria''), also known as the European common frog, European common brown frog, European grass frog, European Holarctic true frog, European pond frog or European brown frog, is a semi-aquatic amphibian o ...
(''Rana temporaria''), Agile Frog
The agile frog (''Rana dalmatina'') is a European frog in the genus ''Rana'' of the true frog family, Ranidae.
Description
This species is fat and has long limbs and a pointy snout. Adult males are rarely larger than 6.5 cm, while females ...
(''R. dalmatina''), Edible Frog (''R. esculenta''), Perez's Frog
The Perez's frog, also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog, or Coruna frog (''Pelophylax perezi'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary ...
(''R. perezi''), marsh frog (''R. ridubunda'') and Pool Frog
The pool frog (''Pelophylax lessonae'') is a European frog in the family Ranidae. Its specific name was chosen by the Italian herpetologist Lorenzo Camerano in 1882, in order to honour his master Michele Lessona.
Description
The pool frog ...
(''R. lessonae''). Newts of the Loire include the Marbled Newt
The marbled newt (''Triturus marmoratus'') is a mainly terrestrial newt native to western Europe. They are found in the Iberian Peninsula and France, where they typically inhabit mountainous areas.
Habitat and distribution
The marbled newt is ...
(''Triturus marmoratus''), Smooth Newt (''T. vulgaris''), Alpine Newt
The alpine newt (''Ichthyosaura alpestris'') is a species of newt native to continental Europe and introduced to Great Britain and New Zealand. Adults measure and are usually dark grey to blue on the back and sides, with an orange belly and thro ...
(''T. alpestris'') and Palmate Newt
The palmate newt (''Lissotriton helveticus'') is a species of newt found in Western Europe, from Great Britain to the northern Iberian peninsula. It is long and olive or brown with some dark spots. The underside is yellow to orange, and the thr ...
(''T. helveticus'').
Avifauna
The Loire hosts about 64% of nesting bird species of France, that is 164 species, of which 54 are water birds, 44 species are common for managed forests, 41 to natural forests, 13 to open and 12 to rocky areas. This avifauna has been rather stable, at least between the 1980s and 2000s, with significant abundance variations observed only for 17 species. Of those, five species were growing in population, four declining, and other eight were fluctuating. Some of these variations had a global nature, such as the expansion of the Mediterranean gull
The Mediterranean gull (''Ichthyaetus melanocephalus'') is a small gull. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus ''Ichthyaetus'' is from ''ikhthus'', "fish", and ''aetos'', "eagle", and the specific ''melanocephalus'' is from ''mel ...
in Europe.
Conservation
The Loire has been described as "constantly under threat of losing its status as the last wild river in France". The reason for this is its sheer length and possibility of extensive navigation, which severely limits the scope of river conservation. The Federation, a member of the IUCN since 1970, has been very important in the campaign to save the Loire river system from development.
In 1986, the French government, the Loire-Brittany Water Agency and the EPALA settled an agreement on flood prevention and water
storage programme in the basin, involving construction of four large dams, one on the Loire itself and three on the Allier and Cher. The French government proposed a construction of a dam at Serre de la Fare on the upper Loire which would have been an environmental catastrophe, as it would have inundated some of pristine gorges. As a result, the WWF and other NGOs established the Loire Vivante (Living Loire) network in 1988 to oppose this and arranged an initial meeting with the French Minister of the Environment. The French government initially rejected the conservation concerns and in 1989 gave the projects the green light. This sparked public demonstrations by the WWF and conservation groups. In 1990, Loire Vivante met with the French Prime Minister and the government, successfully, as the government demanded that the EPALA embark upon major reforms in its approach to managing the river. Due to extensive lobbying, the proposal and the other dam proposals were eventually rejected in the 1990s. The gorges zone has since been protected as a ‘Natura 2000’ site under European Union environmental legislation.
The WWF were particularly important in changing the perception of the French authorities in support for dam building to environmental protection and sustainable management of its river basin. In 1992, they aided the ‘Loire Nature’ project, which received funds of some $US 9 million under the EU's ‘LIFE’ programme until 1999, embarking upon restoration to the river's ecosystems and wildlife. That year, the Upper Loire Valley Farmers Association was also established through a partnership between SOS Loire Vivante and a farmers’ union to promote sustainable rural tourism. The French government adopted the Natural Loire River Plan (Plan Loire Grandeur Nature) in January 1994, initiating the decommissioning of three dams on the river. The final dam was decommissioned by Électricité de France
Électricité de France S.A. (literally ''Electricity of France''), commonly known as EDF, is a French multinational electric utility company, largely owned by the French state. Headquartered in Paris, with €71.2 billion in revenues in 2 ...
at a cost of 7 million francs in 1998. The basis of the decision was that the economic benefits of the dams did not outweigh their significant ecological impacts, so the intention was to restore the riverine ecosystems and replenish great Loire salmon stocks. The Loire is unique in this respect as the Atlantic salmon can swim as far as up the river and spawn in the upper reaches of the Allier. The French government undertook this major plan, chiefly because pollution and overfishing had reduced approximately 100,000 salmon migrating annually to their spawning grounds in the headwaters of the Loire and its tributaries to just 67 salmon in 1996 on the upper Allier.
The WWF, BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
, and local conservation bodies have also made considerable efforts to improve the conservation of the Loire estuary and its surroundings, given that they are unique habitats for migrating birds. The estuary and its shoreline are also important for fishing, shellfish farming and tourism. The major commercial port at Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
has caused severe damage to the ecosystem of the Loire estuary.
In 2002, the WWF aided a second Loire Nature project and expanded its scope to the entire basin, addressing some of land under a budget of US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
18 million, mainly funded by government and public bodies, such as the Établissement Publique Loire (EPL), a public institution which had formerly advocated large-scale dam projects on the river.History
Prehistoric period
Studies of the palaeo-geography of the region suggest that the palaeo-Loire flowed northward and joined theSeine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributaries ...
, while the lower Loire found its source upstream of Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Gien, flowing westward along the present course. At a certain point during the long history of uplift in the
(US) and Gien, flowing westward along the present course. At a certain point during the long history of uplift in the
Paris Basin
The Paris Basin is one of the major geological regions of France. It developed since the Triassic over remnant uplands of the Variscan orogeny (Hercynian orogeny). The sedimentary basin, no longer a single drainage basin, is a large sag in the cr ...
, the lower, Atlantic Loire captured the "palaeo-Loire" or ''Loire séquanaise'' ("Seine
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributaries ...
Loire"), producing the present river. The former bed of the ''Loire séquanaise'' is occupied by the Loing
The Loing () is a long river in central France, a left tributary of the Seine.
Its source is in Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing, in the southwestern of the department of Yonne, and it flows into the Seine in Saint-Mammès, near Moret-sur-Loing.
Its ...
.
The Loire Valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period from 40–90 ka.Williams & Boone, p.11 Neanderthal
Neanderthals (, also ''Homo neanderthalensis'' and erroneously ''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis''), also written as Neandertals, are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. While the ...
man used stone tools to fashion boats out of tree trunks and navigated the river. Modern man inhabited the Loire valley around 30 ka. By around 5000 to 4000 BC, they began clearing forests along the river edges and cultivating the lands and rearing livestock. They built megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.
The ...
s to worship the dead, especially from around 3500 BC. The Gauls arrived in the valley between 1500 and 500 BC, and the Carnutes
The Carnutes or Carnuti (Gaulish: 'the horned ones'), were a Gallic tribe dwelling in an extensive territory between the Sequana (Seine) and the Liger (Loire) rivers during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Carn ...
settled in Cenabum Cenabum, Cenabaum or Genabum was the name of an ''oppidum'' of the Carnutes tribe, situated on the site of what is now Orléans. It was a prosperous commercial city on the river Loire at the time of Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
History
This port ...
in what is now Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and By 600 BC the Loire had already become a very important trading route between the
The 
(US) and By 600 BC the Loire had already become a very important trading route between the
Celts
The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...
and the Greeks. A key transportation route, it served as one of the great "highways" of France for over 2000 years. The Phoenicians
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histo ...
and Greeks had used pack horses to transport goods from Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...
to the Loire to get from the Mediterranean basin to the Atlantic coast.
Ancient Rome, Alans and the Vikings
The Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
successfully subdued the Gauls in 52 BC and began developing Cenabum, which they named Aurelianis. They also began building the city of Caesarodunum
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metropoli ...
, now Tours
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
, from AD 1. The Romans used the Loire as far as Roanne
Roanne (; frp, Rouana; oc, Roana) is a commune in the Loire department, central France.
It is located northwest of Lyon on the river Loire. It has an important Museum, the ''Musée des Beaux-arts et d'Archéologie Joseph-Déchelette'' (Fr ...
, around downriver from the source. After AD 16, the Loire river valley became part of the Roman province of Aquitania
Gallia Aquitania ( , ), also known as Aquitaine or Aquitaine Gaul, was a province of the Roman Empire. It lies in present-day southwest France, where it gives its name to the modern region of Aquitaine. It was bordered by the provinces of Gallia ...
, with its capital at Avaricum
Avaricum was an ''oppidum'' in ancient Gaul, near what is now the city of Bourges. Avaricum, situated in the lands of the Bituriges Cubi, was the largest and best-fortified town within their territory, situated on very fertile lands. The terrain ...
. From the 3rd century, Christianity spread through the river basin, and many religious figures began cultivating vineyards along the river banks.
In the 5th century, the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
declined and the Franks and the Alemanni
The Alemanni or Alamanni, were a confederation of Germanic tribes
*
*
*
on the Upper Rhine River. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Caracalla of 213, the Alemanni captured the in 260, and later expanded into pres ...
came to the area from the east. Following this there was ongoing conflict between the Franks and the Visigoths
The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is kno ...
.Williams & Boone, p.12 In 408, the Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
tribe of Alans
The Alans (Latin: ''Alani'') were an ancient and medieval Iranian nomadic pastoral people of the North Caucasus – generally regarded as part of the Sarmatians, and possibly related to the Massagetae. Modern historians have connected the Al ...
crossed the Loire and large hordes of them settled along the middle course of the Loire in Gaul under King Sangiban Sangiban was a fifth-century Alan king at the time of Attila's invasion of Gaul (451). He was the successor of Goar as king of the Alan ''foederati'' settled in the region around Aurelianum (modern-day Orléans). According to Jordanes, Sangiban had ...
. Many inhabitants around the present city of Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
began invading the west coast of France, using (US) and Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
longship
Longships were a type of specialised Scandinavian warships that have a long history in Scandinavia, with their existence being archaeologically proven and documented from at least the fourth century BC. Originally invented and used by the Nors ...
s to navigate the Loire. In 853 they attacked and destroyed Tours and its famous abbey, later destroying Angers in raids of 854 and 872. In 877 Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a se ...
died, marking an end to the Carolingian dynasty
The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
. After considerable conflict in the region, in 898 Foulques le Roux of Anjou gained power.Williams & Boone, p. 14
Medieval period
During theHundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Planta ...
from 1337 to 1453, the Loire marked the border between the French and the English, who occupied territory to the north. One-third of the inhabitants died in the epidemic of the Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causing ...
of 1348–9. The English defeated the French in 1356 and Aquitaine
Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 Janua ...
came under English control in 1360. In 1429, Joan of Arc persuaded Charles VII to drive out the English from the country. Her successful relief of the siege of Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and In 1477, the first
For centuries local people used wooden embankments and dredging to try to maintain a navigable channel on the river, as it was critical to transportation. River traffic increased gradually, with a toll system being used in medieval times. Today some of these toll bridges still remain, dated to over 800 years. During the 17th century,
The Loire Valley (french: Vallée de la Loire) lies in the middle stretch of the river, extends for about and comprises an area of roughly . It is also known as the ''Garden of France'' – due to the abundance of
File:Loire Indre Amboise1 tango7174.jpg,
The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire from the
(US) and In 1477, the first
printing press
A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in which the c ...
in France was established in Angers, and around this time the Chateau de Langeais and Chateau de Montsoreau were built.Williams & Boone, p.16 During the reign of François I
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...
from 1515 to 1547, the Italian Renaissance had a profound influence upon the region, as people adopted its elements in the architecture and culture, particularly among the elite who expressed its principles in their chateaus.
In the 1530s, the Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...
ideas reached the Loire valley, with some people becoming Protestant. Religious wars followed and in 1560 Catholics drowned several hundred Protestants in the river. During the Wars of Religion
A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...
from 1562 to 1598, Orléans served as a prominent stronghold for the Huguenots
The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Bez ...
but in 1568, Protestants blew up Orléans Cathedral
Orléans Cathedral ( French: ''Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d'Orléans'') is a Roman Catholic church located in the city of Orléans, France. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Orléans.
It was originally built from 1278 to 1329. ...
. In 1572 some 3000 Huguenots
The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Bez ...
were slaughtered in Paris in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (french: Massacre de la Saint-Barthélemy) in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations and a wave of Catholic mob violence, directed against the Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants) during the French Wa ...
. Hundreds more were drowned in the Loire by Catholics.
1600–present
For centuries local people used wooden embankments and dredging to try to maintain a navigable channel on the river, as it was critical to transportation. River traffic increased gradually, with a toll system being used in medieval times. Today some of these toll bridges still remain, dated to over 800 years. During the 17th century, Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...
instituted the use of stone retaining walls and quays from Roanne to Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
, which helped make the river more reliable, but navigation was still frequently stopped by excessive conditions during flood and drought. In 1707, floods were said to have drowned 50,000 people in the river valley, with the water rising more than in two hours in Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and War in the Vendée The war in the Vendée (french: link=no, Guerre de Vendée) was a counter-revolution from 1793 to 1796 in the Vendée region of France during the French Revolution. The Vendée is a coastal region, located immediately south of the river Loir ...
since they thought it was a more effective way of killing.
Soon after the beginning of the 19th century, steam-driven passenger boats began to ply the river between Nantes and Orléans, making the upriver journey faster; by 1843, 70,000 passengers were being carried annually in the Lower Loire and 37,000 in the Upper Loire. But competition from the railway, beginning in the 1840s, caused a decline in trade on the river. Proposals to develop a fully navigable river up to (US) and War in the Vendée The war in the Vendée (french: link=no, Guerre de Vendée) was a counter-revolution from 1793 to 1796 in the Vendée region of France during the French Revolution. The Vendée is a coastal region, located immediately south of the river Loir ...
Briare
Briare (, also known as Briare-le-Canal) is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France, in the historical region of Puisaye. The composer and organist Henri Nibelle (1883–1967) was born in Briare.
Briare, the ''Brivodorum'' of ...
came to nothing. The opening of the Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal latéral à la Loire (, "canal parallel to the Loire") was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of . It replaced the use of the river Loire, which wa ...
in 1838 enabled navigation between Digoin and Briare to continue, but the river level crossing at Briare remained a problem until the construction of the Briare aqueduct
The Briare Aqueduct in central France carries the Canal latéral à la Loire over the river Loire on its journey to the Seine. It replaced a river-level crossing from the canal to meet the Briare Canal that was hazardous in times of flood. Betwee ...
in 1896. At , this was the longest such structure in the world for quite some time.
The Canal de Roanne à Digoin was also opened in 1838. It was nearly closed in 1971 but, in the early 21st century, it still provides navigation further up the Loire valley to Digoin
Digoin () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
The junction of the '' Canal du Centre'' and the ''Canal latéral à la Loire'' is near Digoin.
Geography
The river Bourbince ...
. The Canal de Berry
The Canal de Berry is a disused canal in France which links the Canal latéral à la Loire at Marseilles-lès-Aubigny with the Cher at Noyers rejoining the Loire near Tours. With a branch from Montluçon it provided of canal with locks wide ...
, a narrow canal with locks only wide, which was opened in the 1820s and connected the Canal latéral à la Loire at Marseilles-lès-Aubigny to the river Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
at Noyers and back into the Loire near Tours, was closed in 1955.
The river is officially navigable as far as Bouchemaine, where the Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
joins it near Angers
Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...
. Another short stretch much further upstream at Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.
Geography
The town is situated on a former island in the Loire ("en Loire assise") at the confluence of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim l ...
is also navigable, where a river level crossing from the Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal latéral à la Loire (, "canal parallel to the Loire") was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of . It replaced the use of the river Loire, which wa ...
connects to the Canal du Nivernais
The Canal du Nivernais links the Loire with the Seine, following approximately the course of the river Yonne in a south to north direction. It first climbs northeast and north to cross the Morvan watershed, then roughly follows the course of the ...
.
In 2022, a drought rendered parts of the Loire unnavigable for fish and water vessels as they were partially or completely dried up.
Timeline
The monarchy of France ruled in the Loire Valley for several centuries, giving it the name of "The Valley of Kings". These rulers started with the Gauls, followed by the Romans, and the Frankish dynasty. They were succeeded by the kings of France, who ruled from the late 14th century till the French Revolution; together these rulers contributed to the development of the valley. The chronology of the rulers is presented; in the table below.Loire Valley
The Loire Valley (french: Vallée de la Loire) lies in the middle stretch of the river, extends for about and comprises an area of roughly . It is also known as the ''Garden of France'' – due to the abundance of vineyard
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
s, fruit orchards, artichoke
The globe artichoke (''Cynara cardunculus'' var. ''scolymus'' ),Rottenberg, A., and D. Zohary, 1996: "The wild ancestry of the cultivated artichoke." Genet. Res. Crop Evol. 43, 53–58. also known by the names French artichoke and green articho ...
, asparagus and cherry fields which line the banks of the riverWilliams & Boone, p.10 – and also as the "cradle of the French language". It is also noteworthy for its architectural heritage: in part for its historic towns such as Amboise
Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court.
Geography
Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...
, Angers
Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...
, Blois
Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours.
With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the d ...
, Chinon, Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
, Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Saumur Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
, and (US) and Saumur Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
Tours
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...
, but in particular for its castles, such as the Château d'Amboise, Château d'Angers
The Château d'Angers is a castle in the city of Angers in the Loire Valley, in the ''département'' of Maine-et-Loire, in France. Founded in the 9th century by the Counts of Anjou, it was expanded to its current size in the 13th century. It i ...
, Château de Chambord
The Château de Chambord () in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France, is one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with cl ...
, Château de Montsoreau
The Château de Montsoreau is a Flamboyant Gothic castle in the Loire Valley, directly built in the Loire riverbed. It is located in the small market town of Montsoreau, in the Maine-et-Loire ''département'' of France, close to Saumur, Chi ...
, Château d'Ussé
Ussé is a castle in the Indre-et-Loire ''département'', in France. The stronghold at the edge of the Chinon forest overlooking the Indre Valley was first fortified in the eleventh century by the Norman ''seigneur'' of Ussé, Gueldin de Saumur, ...
, Château de Villandry and Chenonceau, and also for its many cultural monuments, which illustrate the ideals of the Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
and the Age of the Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...
on western European thought and design.
On December 2, 2000, UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
added the central part of the Loire valley, between Bouchemaine in Anjou and Sully-sur-Loire
Sully-sur-Loire (, literally ''Sully on Loire'') is a commune in the Loiret department, north-central France. It is the seat of the canton of Sully-sur-Loire. It lies on the left bank of the river Loire.
Population
Castles
The ''château'' o ...
in Loiret, to its list of World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. In choosing this area that includes the French ''départements
A department (, ) is an administrative or political division in several countries. Departments are the first-level divisions of 11 countries, nine in the Americas and two in Africa. An additional 10 countries use departments as second-level div ...
'' of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, and Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire () is a department in the Loire Valley in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France. It is named after the two rivers, Maine and the Loire. It borders Mayenne and Sarthe to the north, Loire-Atlantique to the west, Indre-et-L ...
, the committee said that the Loire Valley is:
"an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments – the Châteaux – and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself."
Architecture
Architectural edifices were created in Loire valley from the 10th century onwards with the defensive fortress like structures called the " keeps" or " donjons" built between 987 and 1040 by Anjou Count Foulques Nerra of Anjou (the Falcon). However, one of the oldest such structures in France is the Donjon de Foulques Nerra built in 944.Williams & Boone, p. 19 This style was replaced by the religious architectural style in the 12th to 14th centuries when the impregnable château fortresses were built on top of rocky hills; one of the impressive fortresses of this type is theChâteau d'Angers
The Château d'Angers is a castle in the city of Angers in the Loire Valley, in the ''département'' of Maine-et-Loire, in France. Founded in the 9th century by the Counts of Anjou, it was expanded to its current size in the 13th century. It i ...
, which has 17 gruesome towers. This was followed by aesthetically built châteaux (to also function as residential units), which substituted the quadrangular layout of the keep. However, the exterior defensive structures, in the form of portcullis
A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down g ...
and moats
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
surrounding the thick walls of the châteaux' forts were retained.Williams & Boone, p. 17 There was further refinement in the design of the châteaux in the 15th century before the Baroque style came into prominence with decorative and elegantly designed interiors and which became fashionable from the 16th to the end of the 18th century.
The Baroque style artists who created some of the exquisite château structures were: the Parisian, François Mansart
François Mansart (; 23 January 1598 – 23 September 1666) was a French architect credited with introducing classicism into Baroque architecture of France. The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' cites him as the most accomplished of 17th-century Fr ...
(1598–1662) whose classical symmetrical design is seen in the Château de Blois
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Nowaday ...
; Jacques Bougier (1635) of Blois
Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours.
With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the d ...
whose classical design is the Château de Cheverny; Guillaume Bautru
Guillaume Bautru, comte de Serrant (1588, Angers – 7 March 1665, Paris) was a French satirical poet, court favourite and a protégé and diplomatic agent of cardinal Richelieu.
Biography
He was lord of Louvaines, conseiller d'État under ...
remodelled the Château de Serrant (at the extreme western end of the valley). In the 17th century, there was feverish pace in the design of châteaux for introducing exotic styles; a notable structure of this period is the Pagode de Chanteloup at Amboise
Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court.
Geography
Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...
, which was built between 1773 and 1778.
The Neoclassical architectural style, was a revival of Classical style of architecture, which emerged in the mid 18th century; one such notable structure is the Château de Menars built by Jacques Ange Gabriel (1698–1782) who was the royal architect in the court of Louis XV (1715–74). This style was perpetuated during the reign of Louis XVI (1774–92) but with more refinements; one such refined château seen close to Angers
Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...
is the Château de Montgeoffroy. Furnishings inside the châteaux also witnessed changes to suit the living styles of its occupants.Williams & Boone, pp. 22–26 Gardens, both ornamental fountains, footpaths flower beds and tended grass) and kitchen type (to grow vegetables), also accentuated the opulence of the châteaux.
The French Revolution (1789) brought a radical change for the worse in the scenarios for chateaus, as monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy), ...
ended in France.Williams & Boone, p. 28
Châteaux
Thechâteau
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Nowaday ...
x, numbering more than three hundred, represent a nation of builders starting with the necessary castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
fortifications in the 10th century to the splendour of those built half a millennium later. When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux here, the nobility, not wanting or even daring to be far from the seat of power, followed suit. Their presence in the lush, fertile valley began attracting the very best landscape designers. Today, these privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few open their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority or the giant structures like those at Chambord Chambord can refer to:
* Chambord (liqueur), a brand of raspberry-flavored liqueur
* Château de Chambord, a French ''château'' built in the 16th century
* Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, the French commune where the ''château'' is located
* Chambord, ...
are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Some notable Châteaux on the Loire include Beaufort Beaufort may refer to:
People and titles
* Beaufort (surname)
* House of Beaufort, English nobility
* Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England
* Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility
Places Polar regions
* ...
- Mareuil sur Cher – Lavoûte-Polignac – Bouthéon – Montrond – Bastie d'Urfé – Château féodal des Cornes d'Urfé – La Roche – Château féodal de Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire – Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille – Chevenon – Palais ducal de Nevers – Saint-Brisson – Gien – La Bussière – Pontchevron – La Verrerie (near Aubigny-sur-Nère
Aubigny-sur-Nère () is a town and commune in the Cher department in the administrative region of Centre-Val de Loire, France.
Geography
An area of forestry and farming surrounding a small light industrial town, situated in the valley of the r ...
) – Sully-sur-Loire
Sully-sur-Loire (, literally ''Sully on Loire'') is a commune in the Loiret department, north-central France. It is the seat of the canton of Sully-sur-Loire. It lies on the left bank of the river Loire.
Population
Castles
The ''château'' o ...
– Châteauneuf-sur-Loire
Châteauneuf-sur-Loire () is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas r ...
– Boisgibault – Meung-sur-Loire
Meung-sur-Loire () is a commune in the Loiret department, north-central France.
It was the site of the Battle of Meung-sur-Loire in 1429.
Geography
Meung-sur-Loire lies 15 km to the west of Orléans on the north bank of the river Loire at ...
– Menars
Menars (), also spelled Ménars, is a commune and town in the French department of Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The Château de Menars, formerly owned by Madame de Pompadour is located here.
Population
See also
*Communes of the ...
– Talcy – Château de la Ferté – Chambord Chambord can refer to:
* Chambord (liqueur), a brand of raspberry-flavored liqueur
* Château de Chambord, a French ''château'' built in the 16th century
* Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, the French commune where the ''château'' is located
* Chambord, ...
– Blois
Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours.
With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the d ...
– Villesavin – Cheverny – Beauregard – Troussay – Château de Chaumont
The Château de Chaumont (), officially Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, is a castle (''château'') in Chaumont-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The castle was founded in the 10th century by Odo I, Count of Blois. After Pierre d'Amboi ...
– Amboise
Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court.
Geography
Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...
– Clos-Lucé – Langeais
Langeais () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. On 1 January 2017, the former commune of Les Essards was merged into Langeais.
– Gizeux – Les Réaux – Montsoreau
Montsoreau () is a commune of the Loire Valley in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast and from Paris. The village is listed among '' The Most Beautiful Villages of France'' (french: Les Plus Be ...
– Montreuil-Bellay
Montreuil-Bellay () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
It is located approximately 15 km to the south of Saumur, and is famous for the Château de Montreuil-Bellay, which is situated in the town.
Montreuil- ...
– Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet – Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
– Boumois – Brissac – Montgeoffroy – Plessis-Bourré – Château des Réaux
Amboise
Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court.
Geography
Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...
on the banks of the Loire
File:Langeais-Chateau.JPG, Chateau de Langeais
File:Loire Cher Blois1 tango7174.jpg, Château de Blois
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Nowaday ...
interior façades in Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
, Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
and Classic styles (from right to left).
File:Chateau Valencay 20050726.jpg, Château de Valençay
Château de Valençay is a château in the commune of Valençay, in the Indre department of France. It was a residence of the d'Estampes and Talleyrand-Périgord families. Although it is part of the province of Berry, its architecture invites ...
.
File:Château de Montsoreau(Maine-et-Loire).jpg, Château de Montsoreau
The Château de Montsoreau is a Flamboyant Gothic castle in the Loire Valley, directly built in the Loire riverbed. It is located in the small market town of Montsoreau, in the Maine-et-Loire ''département'' of France, close to Saumur, Chi ...
Wine making
The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire from the Muscadet
Muscadet ( , , ) is a French white wine. It is made at the western end of the Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in the Pays de la Loire region. It is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, often referred to simply as ''melon''. While mo ...
region near the city of Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
on the Atlantic coast to the region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of Sancerre
Sancerre () is a medieval hilltop town (ville) and commune in the Cher department, France overlooking the river Loire. It is noted for its wine.
History
Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the Bi ...
and Pouilly-Fumé
Pouilly-Fumé is an ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for the dry sauvignon blanc white wine produced around Pouilly-sur-Loire, in the Nièvre département. Another white wine produced in the same area but with a different grape varie ...
just southeast of the city of Orléans
Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Anjou,
(US) and Anjou,
Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
, Bourgueil
Bourgueil () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.
Population
Bourgueil wine
Bourgueil is an '' appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for wine in the Loire Valley region, and produces primarily red wine from t ...
, Chinon, and Vouvray
Vouvray (, , ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It is around 9 km east of the centre of Tours.
It is best known for its production of white wine, rated among the best in France.
Population
Education
Scho ...
. The Loire Valley itself follows the river through the Loire province to the river's origins in the Cévennes
The Cévennes ( , ; oc, Cevenas) is a cultural region and range of mountains in south-central France, on the south-east edge of the Massif Central. It covers parts of the ''départements'' of Ardèche, Gard, Hérault and Lozère. Rich in geogr ...
but the majority of the wine production takes place in the regions noted above.
The Loire Valley has a long history of winemaking
Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and w ...
dating back to the 1st century. In the High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended around AD 1500 ...
, the wines of the Loire Valley were the most esteemed wines in England and France, even more prized than those from Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...
.J. Robinson (ed.) ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' Third Edition, pp. 408–410, Oxford University Press 2006 Archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
evidence suggest that the Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
planted the first vineyards in the Loire Valley during their settlement of Gaul in the 1st century AD. By the 5th century, the flourishing viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ra ...
of the area was noted in a publication by the poet Sidonius Apollinaris
Gaius Sollius Modestus Apollinaris Sidonius, better known as Sidonius Apollinaris (5 November of an unknown year, 430 – 481/490 AD), was a poet, diplomat, and bishop. Sidonius is "the single most important surviving author from 5th-century Gaul ...
. In his work '' History of the Franks'', Bishop Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours (30 November 538 – 17 November 594 AD) was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of the area that had been previously referred to as Gaul by the Romans. He was born Georgius Florent ...
wrote of the frequent plundering by the Bretons of the area's wine stocks. By the 11th century the wines of Sancerre had a reputation across Europe for their high quality. Historically the wineries of the Loire Valley have been small, family owned operations that do a lot of estate bottling. The mid-1990s saw an increase in the number of négociant
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:
*Cooperating with viticulturists
*Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to dete ...
and co-operative to where now about half of Sancerre and almost 80% of Muscadet is bottled by a négociant or co-op.
The Loire river has a significant effect on the mesoclimate of the region, adding the necessary extra few degrees of temperature that allows grapes to grow when the areas to the north and south of the Loire Valley have shown to be unfavourable to viticulture. In addition to finding vineyards along the Loire, several of the river's tributaries
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
are also well planted—including the rivers Allier
Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after ...
, Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...
, Indre, Loir
The Loir () is a long river in western France. It is a left tributary of the Sarthe. Its source is in the Eure-et-Loir department, north of Illiers-Combray. It joins the river Sarthe in Briollay, north of the city of Angers.
It is indirectly a ...
, Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise () is a river in the Pays de la Loire regions in western France. It is a left-bank tributary of the Loire. Its total length is . Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres department, near Secondigny. It flows from south to north thro ...
and Vienne
Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019. The climate can be very cool with spring time frost being a potential hazard for the vines. During the harvest months rain can cause the grapes to be harvested underripe but can also aid in the development of '' Botrytis cinerea'' for the region's dessert wines.
The Loire Valley has a high density of vine plantings with an average of 4,000–5,000 vines per hectare (1,600–2,000 per acre). Some Sancerre vineyards have as many as 10,000 plants per hectare. With more vines competing for the same limited resources in the soil, the density is designed to compensate for the excessive yields that some of the grape varieties, like Chenin blanc, are prone to have. In recent times,
File:Turner Scene of the Loire.jpg, ''Scène of the Loire'', by J. M. W. Turner.
File:Courbet La source de la Loire.jpg, ''La source de la Loire'', by Gustave Courbet.
File:Portrait de la Loire.jpg, ''Portrait of the Loire'', by Jean-Max Albert, 1988. Musée de la Loire, Cosne-sur-Loire.
File:Jean-Jacques Delusse, vue des Rosiers, 1800.jpg, ''Les Rosiers-sur-Loire'' by , 1800
File:JMW Turner Montsoreau.jpg, ''The Loire at
River Loire
guide, places, ports and moorings on the river in the navigable length from the Maine to Saint-Nazaire, by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'', Imray.
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals
(French waterways website section)
Tourist Office Board Loire Valley
Waterways In Western Loire – Free Online Travel Brochure
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loire (River) Rivers of France Rivers of Allier Rivers of Ardèche Rivers of Cher (department) Rivers of Haute-Loire Rivers of Indre-et-Loire Rivers of Loir-et-Cher Rivers of Loire (department) Rivers of Loire-Atlantique Rivers of Loiret Rivers of Maine-et-Loire Rivers of Nièvre Rivers of Saône-et-Loire Rivers of Brittany Rivers of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Rivers of Centre-Val de Loire Rivers of Pays de la Loire Rivers of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
pruning
Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots.
The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...
and canopy management
In viticulture, the canopy of a grapevine includes the parts of the vine visible aboveground - the trunk, cordon, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit. The canopy plays a key role in light energy capture via photosynthesis, water use as regulated b ...
have started to limit yields more effectively.
The Loire Valley is often divided into three sections. The Upper Loire includes the Sauvignon blanc dominated areas of Sancerre
Sancerre () is a medieval hilltop town (ville) and commune in the Cher department, France overlooking the river Loire. It is noted for its wine.
History
Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the Bi ...
and Pouilly-Fumé. The Middle Loire is dominated by more Chenin blanc and Cabernet franc wines found in the regions around Touraine
Touraine (; ) is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher, Indre and Vienn ...
, Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur s ...
, Chinon and Vouvray
Vouvray (, , ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It is around 9 km east of the centre of Tours.
It is best known for its production of white wine, rated among the best in France.
Population
Education
Scho ...
. The Lower Loire that leads to the mouth of the river's entrance to the Atlantic goes through the Muscadet region which is dominated by wines of the Melon de Bourgogne grape. Spread out across the Loire Valley are 87 appellation under the AOC, VDQS and Vin de Pays
''Vin de pays'' (, "country wine") was a French wine classification that was above the '' vin de table'' classification, but below the '' appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) classification and below the former '' vin délimité de qualit� ...
systems. There are two generic designation that can be used across the whole of the Loire Valley. The ''Crémant de Loire'' which refers to any sparkling wine made according to the traditional method
The traditional method is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce Champagne. It is also the method used in various French regions to produce sparkling wines (not called “Champagne”), in Spain to produce Cava, in Port ...
of Champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, sp ...
. The ''Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France'' refers to any varietal
A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000.winepros.com.au. ...
ly labelled wine, such as Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For ne ...
, that is produced in the region outside of an AOC designation.
The area includes 87 appellations under the '' Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC), ''Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure
Vin or VIN may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Vîn TV, a Kurdish language satellite television channel founded in 2007
* ''Vos Iz Neias?'', an American Jewish online news site
* Coastal radio station VIN Geraldton (callsign), a statio ...
'' (VDQS) and ''Vin de pays
''Vin de pays'' (, "country wine") was a French wine classification that was above the '' vin de table'' classification, but below the '' appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) classification and below the former '' vin délimité de qualit� ...
'' systems. While the majority of production is white wine from the Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc
is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in ...
and Melon de Bourgogne
Melon de Bourgogne or Melon is a variety of white grape grown primarily in the Loire Valley region of France. It is also grown in North America. It is best known through its use in the white wine Muscadet.
In the U.S., Federal law preve ...
grapes, there are red wines made (especially around the Chinon region) from Cabernet franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire's Chinon. In addition to being use ...
. In addition to still wines, rosé
A rosé () is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method ...
, sparkling and dessert wines are also produced. With ''Crémant
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne re ...
'' production throughout the Loire valley, it is the second largest sparkling wine producer in France after Champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, sp ...
. Among these different wine styles, Loire wines tend to exhibit characteristic fruitiness with fresh, crisp flavours-especially in their youth.
Art
The Loire has inspired many poets and writers, including: Charles d'Orléans, François Rabelais, ,Clément Marot
Clément Marot (23 November 1496 – 12 September 1544) was a French Renaissance poet.
Biography
Youth
Marot was born at Cahors, the capital of the province of Quercy, some time during the winter of 1496–1497. His father, Jean Marot (c.& ...
, Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard (; 11 September 1524 – 27 December 1585) was a French poet or, as his own generation in France called him, a " prince of poets".
Early life
Pierre de Ronsard was born at the Manoir de la Possonnière, in the village of ...
, Joachim du Bellay, Jean de La Fontaine, Charles Péguy
Charles Pierre Péguy (; 7 January 1873 – 5 September 1914) was a French poet, essayist, and editor. His two main philosophies were socialism and nationalism. By 1908 at the latest, after years of uneasy agnosticism, he had become a believing b ...
, Gaston Couté; and painters such as: Raoul Dufy
Raoul Dufy (; 3 June 1877 – 23 March 1953) was a French Fauvism, Fauvist painter. He developed a colorful, decorative style that became fashionable for designs of ceramic art, ceramics and textile as well as decorative schemes for public bu ...
, J. M. W. Turner, Gustave Courbet, Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, Félix Edouard Vallotton, Jacques Villon, Jean-Max Albert, , , and Jean Chabot.
Montsoreau
Montsoreau () is a commune of the Loire Valley in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast and from Paris. The village is listed among '' The Most Beautiful Villages of France'' (french: Les Plus Be ...
'', J. M. W. Turner, 1832, Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art
The Château de Montsoreau-Museum Contemporary Art is a private museum open to the public in Montsoreau, France. It opened 8 April 2016. The permanent collection exhibited at Château de Montsoreau consists of Philippe Méaille's collection of ...
.
See also
* Rivers of France *Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire (; ; br, Broioù al Liger) is one of the 18 regions of France, in the west of the mainland. It was created in the 1950s to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful of "balancing metropolises" ().
...
region
References
Bibliography
* * Garrett, Martin, ''The Loire: a Cultural History''. 2010, Signal Books. * ''Pays de la Loire, waterways guide No. 10'', Editions du Breil. pp 8–27, for the navigable section (guide in English, French and German)External links
River Loire
guide, places, ports and moorings on the river in the navigable length from the Maine to Saint-Nazaire, by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'', Imray.
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals
(French waterways website section)
Tourist Office Board Loire Valley
Waterways In Western Loire – Free Online Travel Brochure
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loire (River) Rivers of France Rivers of Allier Rivers of Ardèche Rivers of Cher (department) Rivers of Haute-Loire Rivers of Indre-et-Loire Rivers of Loir-et-Cher Rivers of Loire (department) Rivers of Loire-Atlantique Rivers of Loiret Rivers of Maine-et-Loire Rivers of Nièvre Rivers of Saône-et-Loire Rivers of Brittany Rivers of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Rivers of Centre-Val de Loire Rivers of Pays de la Loire Rivers of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes