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 in the Cévennes 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, ...

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 Mont Gerbier de Jonc is a mountain of volcanic origin located in the Massif Central in France. It is made of a type of rock called phonolite. It rises to an altitude of , and its base contains three springs that are the source of the Loire, France ...

; it flows north through Nevers to Orléans, then west through Tours and

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 inhabita ...

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 Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean ...

. Its main tributaries include the rivers Nièvre, Maine and the

Erdre The Erdre (; br, Erzh) is a long river in western France, right tributary to the Loire. Its source is in the Maine-et-Loire '' department'', near La Pouëze. It flows through the ''departments'' Maine-et-Loire and Loire-Atlantique. The Erdre me ...

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 afte ...

Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...

Indre Indre (; oc, Endre) is a landlocked department in central France named after the river Indre. The inhabitants of the department are known as the ''Indriens'' (masculine; ) and ''Indriennes'' (feminine; ). Indre is part of the current administ ...

, Vienne, and the

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 o ...

, 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-e ...

, 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 Bo ...

. 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 Valley ...

regions was added to the World Heritage Sites list of UNESCO 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 period of 90–40

kya Kya, kya or KYA may also refer to: People or fictional characters * Kya Lau, chef and contestant on ''MasterChef Junior'', season 4 * Kya, mother of Katara and Sokka, in ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' * Kya, daughter of Aang and Katara in ''The ...

(thousand years ago), followed by modern humans (about 30 kya), succeeded by the Neolithic period (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, with Phoenicia and Ancient Greece via Lyon on the Rhône. Gallic rule ended in the valley in 56 BC when

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

conquered the adjacent provinces for Rome. 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 Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual res ...

), 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 ...

. 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 châteaux, each with distinct architectural embellishments covering a wide range of variations, from the early medieval to the late Renaissance periods. They were originally created as

feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a wa ...

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 native Gaulish (

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 Fo ...

) name of the river. The Gaulish name comes from the Gaulish word ''

liga Liga or LIGA may refer to: People * Līga (name), a Latvian female given name * Luciano Ligabue, more commonly known as Ligabue or ''Liga'', Italian rock singer-songwriter Sports * Liga ACB, men's professional basketball league in Spain * Liga ...

'', which means "silt, sediment, deposit, alluvium", a word that gave French ''

lie A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deceiving or misleading someone. The practice of communicating lies is called lying. A person who communicates a lie may be termed a liar. Lies can be inter ...

'', 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 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, in springs to the south side of

Mont Gerbier de Jonc Mont Gerbier de Jonc is a mountain of volcanic origin located in the Massif Central in France. It is made of a type of rock called phonolite. It rises to an altitude of , and its base contains three springs that are the source of the Loire, France ...

at . This lies in the north-eastern part of the southern Cévennes highlands, in the

above sea-level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. The presence of an aquifer 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. Le Port de Roanne (1)

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 and Vichy 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, and numerous sand banks and islands exist. 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. 15 Bec d'allier (Vue de cuffy 18)

The Loire flows roughly northward through Roanne and Nevers to Orléans and thereafter westward through Tours to

, where it forms an estuary. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean at between

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 History ...

, connected by a bridge over the river near its mouth. Several départements of France were named after the Loire. The Loire flows through the following départements and towns: *

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 Bourbinc ...

* Nièvre ** Decize ** Nevers ** La Charité-sur-Loire ** Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire *

** Sancerre * 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 Henri Jules Joseph Nibelle (6 November 1883 – 18 November 1967) ...

Gien Gien () is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. Gien is on the river Loire, from Orléans. Gien station has rail connections to Montargis, Nevers and Paris. The town was bought for the royal domain by Philip II of Franc ...

** Orléans *

Loir-et-Cher Loir-et-Cher (, ) is a department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. Its name is originated from two rivers which cross it, the Loir in its northern part and the Cher in its southern part. Its prefecture is Blois. The INSEE and La P ...

** Blois * 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 f ...

** Tours *

: **

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 ...

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 statio ...

Ancenis Ancenis (; ) is a former Communes of France, commune in the Loire-Atlantique Departments of France, department in western France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Ancenis-Saint-Géréon. It is a former Subprefectures in France ...

The Loire Valley in the Loire river basin, is a stretch in the western reach of the river starting with Orléans and terminating at

, short of the

Loire estuary 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 ...

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

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 Le Croisic (; br, Ar Groazig; french: label=Gallo, Le Croèzic) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, western France. It is part of the urban area of Saint-Nazaire. History The United States Navy established a naval air station on 27 ...

and La Baule along the coastline.Williams & Boone, p. 33

Tributaries

Its main tributaries include the rivers Maine, Nièvre and the

on its right bank, and the rivers

, Vienne, and the

on the left bank. The largest tributary of the river is the

, in length, which joins the Loire near the town of Nevers at . Downstream of Nevers lies the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its fine assortment of castles. The second-longest tributary, the Vienne, joins the Loire at

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

, which joins the Loire near

Cinq-Mars-la-Pile Cinq-Mars-la-Pile () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Population Sights * Pile of Cinq-Mars: the town derives its name from a thirty metres high, brick Roman tower perched on the hillside. It is remarkably well ...

at and the

, which joins the Loire near Néman at . * Acheneau (in Le Pellerin) *

(in

) *

(in Nantes) *

Èvre The Èvre () is a long river in western France, left tributary of the Loire. Its source is at Vezins, northeast of the village. It flows into the Loire at Le Marillais, east of the village. The Èvre flows through the following communes in t ...

(in

Le Marillais Le Marillais () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 15 December 2015, it was merged into the new commune Mauges-sur-Loire.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 Chal ...

(in Chalonnes-sur-Loire) * Maine (near Angers) ** Mayenne (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 R ...

(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 The Verzée () is a river in the Loire-Atlantique and Maine-et-Loire ''départements'', western France. Its source is at Soudan. It flows generally east-southeast. It is a right tributary of the Oudon into which it flows at Segré. Communes ...

(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 Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne (, literally ''Saint-Jean on Mayenne'') is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Mayenne department The following is a list of the 240 communes of the Mayenne department o ...

) ** 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 Lavenay () is a former commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays de la Loire in north-western France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Loir en Vallée.Aigre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir) **** 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. ...

(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 Va ...

) ***

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, into which it flows near Avoise. Communes along its course This list ...

(in

Avoise Avoise () is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays de la Loire in north-western France. Geography The Vègre flows southward through the western part of the commune, then flows into the Sarthe River, which forms all of the co ...

) ***

Huisne The Huisne () is a long river in France. It is a left tributary of the river Sarthe, which it meets in Le Mans. Its source is near the town of Pervenchères, in the Orne department. The Huisne flows through the following departments and towns: ...

(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 Man ...

) *

Authion The Authion is a long river in western France located in the departments of Indre-et-Loire (Centre-Val de Loire) and Maine-et-Loire (Pays de la Loire). It is a tributary of the river Loire on the right side. It flows into the Loire in Sainte-Gem ...

(in

Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire (, literally ''Sainte-Gemmes on Loire'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. See also * Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department The following is a list of the 177 communes of the Maine-et- ...

) * Thouet (near

) **

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) ** Argenton (near

Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay () is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France. See also *Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department The following is a list of the 256 communes of the Deux-Sèvres department of France. The communes coo ...

) **

Thouaret The Thouaret () is a river in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. It is a right tributary of the Thouet. Its source is in the commune of Chanteloup, and its course crosses the department of Deux-Sèvres, where it flows northeast t ...

(near Taizé) ** Cébron (near Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet) **

Palais Palais () may refer to: * Dance hall, popularly a ''palais de danse'', in the 1950s and 1960s in the UK * ''Palais'', French for palace **Grand Palais, the Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées **Petit Palais, an art museum in Paris * Palais River in t ...

(near

Parthenay Parthenay () is an ancient fortified town and Communes of France, ''commune'' in the Deux-Sèvres Departments of France, department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region in western France. It is sited on a rocky spur that is ...

) **

Viette Viette is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: *Viette Brown Sprague (1846–1923), American teaching missionary in Kalgan, China *Pierre Viette Pierre E. L. Viette (29 June 1921 – 30 April 2011) was a French e ...

(near Parthenay) * Vienne (in

and

) ** Creuse (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 (in La Roche-Posay) ****

Anglin The Anglin () is a long river in the Creuse, Indre and Vienne departments in central France. Its source is near Azerables. It flows generally northwest. It is a right tributary of the Gartempe, into which it flows near Angles-sur-l'Anglin. Its ...

(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-sur ...

) *****

Salleron The Salleron (french: le Salleron) is a long river in the Haute-Vienne, Vienne and Indre departments in central France. Its source is several small streams which converge in a pond at Azat-le-Ris. It flows generally north. It is a left tributar ...

(in Ingrandes) *****

Benaize The Benaize (; oc, Benesa, or ) is a long river in the Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Vienne and Indre departments, central France. Its source is near La Souterraine. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Anglin, into which it flo ...

(in

Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize (, literally ''Saint-Hilaire on Benaize'') is a commune in the Indre department in central France. Geography The commune is located in the parc naturel régional de la Brenne. The river Benaize forms part of the commune ...

) *****

Abloux The Abloux is a long river in the Creuse and Indre departments in central France. Its source is at Bazelat. It flows generally northwest. It is a right tributary of the Anglin, into which it flows at Prissac. Communes along its course This lis ...

(in

Prissac Prissac () is a commune in the Indre department in central France. Gaston Chérau (1872–1937), a writer and member of the Académie Goncourt is buried in Prissac. Geography The commune is located in the parc naturel régional de la Brenne. The ...

) **** Brame (in Darnac) **** Semme (in Droux) ***

Petite Creuse The Petite Creuse (french: la Petite Creuse, the small Creuse) is a long river in Allier and Creuse Departments of France, departments, in central France. Its source is at Treignat, southeast of the village. It is a left tributary of the Creuse ...

(in

Fresselines Fresselines (; oc, Fraisselinas) is a Communes of France, commune in the Creuse Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region in central France. Geography A tourism and farming village situated some nort ...

) ** Clain (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 ...

(in Château-Larcher) ** Briance (in

Condat-sur-Vienne Condat-sur-Vienne (, literally ''Condat on Vienne''; ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. Geography The river Briance forms most of the commune's southern border, then flows into the V ...

) **

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 Millevach ...

(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 T ...

) *

(east of Candes-Saint-Martin) **

Indrois The Indrois () is a long river in the Indre and Indre-et-Loire departments in central France. Its source is at Villegouin. It flows generally northwest. It is a right tributary of the Indre, into which it flows at Azay-sur-Indre. Departments an ...

(in

Azay-sur-Indre Azay-sur-Indre (, literally ''Azay on Indre'') is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Geography The Indrois flows west through the eastern part of the commune, then flows into the Indre. The village lies in the middle o ...

) *

(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: V ...

(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 t ...

) *** Rère (in

Villeherviers Villeherviers () is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department in central France. Geography The Rère flows northwest through the eastern part of the commune, then flows into the Sauldre, which flows southwest through the middle of the commune. ...

) ** Arnon (near Vierzon) ***

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 Bommiers () is a commune in the Indre département in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Indre department The following is a list of the 241 communes of the Indre department of France. The communes cooperate in the follow ...

) ** 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, t ...

) ***

Airain The Airain or Airin is a long river in the Cher (department), Cher Departments of France, 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 (Cher), Yèvre, into ...

(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 D4 ...

) **

Tardes Tardes (; oc, Tardas) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France. Geography A farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key deve ...

(in

Évaux-les-Bains Évaux-les-Bains (; oc, Evahon) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France. History A spa town founded by the Romans in the first century, who developed thermal baths and called the place “Ivaonu ...

) *** 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 several ...

) * 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) *

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 alo ...

(in

Saint-Satur Saint-Satur () is a commune in the Cher department in central France. It is a medieval town near the river Loire in the former province of Berry. History Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic tribe, the Bituriges, or the " ...

) *

(near Nevers) **

Sioule The Sioule (; oc, Siula) is a long river in central France, a left tributary of the river Allier. Its source is near the village of Orcival, north of Mont-Dore, in the Massif Central. The Sioule has cut a deep gorge, especially in its upper cou ...

(in

La Ferté-Hauterive La Ferté-Hauterive () is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Allier department The following is a list of the 317 communes of the Allier department of France. Intercommunalities ...

) *** Bouble (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 AD ...

) ** Dore (near Puy-Guillaume) ** Allagnon (near

Jumeaux Jumeaux () is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. See also *Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department The following is a list of the 464 communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department of France. Intercommunalities ...

) **

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) **

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. O ...

(in Monistrol-d'Allier) **

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 (in Nevers) * Acolin (near Decize) *

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) ** Alène (in Cercy-la-Tour) *

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, Puy-de-Dôme, Thiers, in the Massif Central. The Besbre flows generally north, through ...

(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-le ...

(in

) **

Bourbince The Bourbince () is an long river in the Saône-et-Loire ''département'', in central eastern France. Its source is at Montcenis. It flows generally southwest. It is a left tributary of the river Arroux into which it flows at Digoin. Communes ...

(in

) *

Arconce The Arconce () is a long river in the Saône-et-Loire department in central France. Its source is in Mary, southwest of the village. It is a right tributary of the Loire, into which it flows at Varenne-Saint-Germain, northwest of the village. ...

(in

Varenne-Saint-Germain Varenne-Saint-Germain () is a Communes of France, commune in the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. Geography Varenne-Saint-Germain is bordered by the ...

) *

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 Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Chemical compounds containing such rings are also referred to as furans. Furan is a colorless, flammable, highly ...

(in Andrézieux-Bouthéon) * Ondaine (in

Unieux Unieux () is a commune in the Loire department in central France. Unieux is located within a larger metropolitan area, yet is surrounded by delightful and varied countryside. In recent years, the council of Unieux has made great efforts to impr ...

) *

Lignon du Velay The Lignon du Velay (, literally ''Lignon of the Velay'') is an long river in the Ardèche and Haute-Loire departments, south-central France. Its source is near Chaudeyrolles. It flows generally north. It is a right tributary of the Loire, i ...

(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 chalk, not to be confused with tufa) 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 Villerest (; frp, Vilarês) is a commune in the Loire department in central France. It is a Medieval-era commune located just south of the city of Roanne. The village is bordered by the river Loire. Population Sights *Le Barrage de Villerest, ...

on the Loire and

Naussac Dam Naussac is the name of two communes in France: * Naussac, in the Aveyron department * Naussac, in the Lozère Lozère (; oc, Losera ) is a landlocked department in the region of Occitanie in Southern France, located near the Massif Central, ...

on the

. The Villerest dam, built in 1985 a few kilometres (a few miles) south of Roanne, 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 Saint-Léger-des-Vignes () is a commune in the department of the Nièvre, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, in central France. Geography Saint-Léger-des-Vignes is situated in the South of the Nièvre, on the road D981. It is the beginning point of th ...

provides navigable conditions to cross from the Canal du Nivernais to the Canal latéral à la Loire. , the following sections are navigable: *Loire maritime: 53 km from the Atlantic Ocean at

to Nantes, no locks *Loire: 84 km from Nantes to Bouchemaine near Angers, no locks * Canal latéral à la Loire: 196 km from

, parallel to the river, 36 locks *

Canal de Roanne à Digoin The Canal de Roanne à Digoin connects the Canal latéral à la Loire and Canal du Centre at 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 '' ...

: 56 km from

to Roanne, 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 Forest of Orléans ( French: Forêt d'Orléans) is a French national forest for the most part and makes up 70% of a French natural region, located in the department of Loiret in the Centre-Val de Loire region. Its former name is "Forêt des Loge ...

(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. 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 and willows are grown with

duckweed Lemnoideae is a subfamily of flowering aquatic plants, known as duckweeds, water lentils, or water lenses. They float on or just beneath the surface of still or slow-moving bodies of fresh water and wetlands. Also known as bayroot, they arose ...

providing the needed natural fertilizing effect. The Atlantic coast is home to several aquatic herbs, the important species is Salicornia, which is used as a culinary ingredient on account of its diuretic value. Greeks introduced vines. Romans introduced melons, 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 nam ...

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 (biology), family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard ...

s and pears during the Middle Ages, apart from extracting saffron from purple crocus species in the Orléans. 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 of Massif central and

Bassin Parisien south Bassin may refer to: People * Elieser Bassin (1840–1898), British Israelist * Mark Bassin, British geographer * Sherwood Bassin (born 1939), Canadian ice hockey executive Other uses * The Grand Bassin, the largest body of open water along the Ca ...

and in its Lower course partly through South Atlantic and Brittany.

Plankton

With more than 100 alga species, the Loire has the highest

phytoplankton Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems. The name comes from the Greek words (), meaning 'plant', and (), meaning 'wanderer' or 'drifter'. Ph ...

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 sev ...

s and

green algae The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...

(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''. They are then joined by multicellular forms including ''

Fragilaria crotonensis ''Fragilaria'' is a genus of freshwater and saltwater diatoms. It is usually a colonial diatom, forming filaments of cells mechanically joined by protrusions on the face and in the center of their valves. The individual diatoms appear swollen in ...

'', ''

Nitzschia fruticosa ''Nitzschia'' is a common pennate marine diatom. In the scientific literature, this genus, named after Christian Ludwig Nitzsch, is sometimes termed ''Nitzchia'', and it has many species described, which all have a similar morphology. Occurrence ...

'' and ''

Skeletonema potamos ''Skeletonema'' is a genus of 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 an ...

'', 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 (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 are ...

(''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

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 fo ...

(''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'' morph ...

(''Salmo trutta''), European bullhead (''Cottus gobio''), European brook lamprey (''Lampetra planeri''), zander (''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 de ...

(''Chondrostoma nasus'' and ''C. toxostoma'') and wels catfish (''Siluris glanis''). The endangered species include

grayling Grayling or Greyling may refer to: Animals Fish * Grayling, generically, any fish of the genus ''Thymallus'' in the family Salmonidae ** European grayling (''Thymallus thymallus''), the European species of the genus ''Thymallus'' ** Arctic grayli ...

(''Thymallus thymallus''), burbot (''Lota lota'') and bitterling (''Rhodeus sericeus'') and the non-native species are represented by the rock bass (''Ambloplites rupestris''). Although only one native fish species has become extinct in the Loire, namely the European sea sturgeon (''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 oxbows 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 of ...

(''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

, 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'', '' Alytes obstetricans'', '' Bombina variegata'', '' 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 spa ...

'' 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 (''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 The edible frog (''Pelophylax'' kl. ''esculentus'') is a species of common European frog, also known as the common water frog or green frog (however, this latter term is also used for the North American species ''Rana clamitans''). It is used ...

(''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 an ...

(''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 is ...

(''R. lessonae''). Newts of the Loire include the Marbled Newt (''Triturus marmoratus''), Smooth Newt (''T. vulgaris''), Alpine Newt (''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

Larus melanocephalus aka Mediterranean Gull rare guest in Sweden2

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 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

since 1970, has been very important in the campaign to save the Loire river system from development. Manifestation contre le barrage de Serre de la Fare 3

Manifestation contre le barrage de Serre de la Fare 3

In 1986, the

French government The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...

, 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 Serre may refer to: * Serre (surname) * Serre (grape), a red Italian wine grape * Serre (river), a tributary of the Oise in France * Serre, Campania, a town and comune in Salerno, Campania, Italy * Serre-lès-Puisieux, a village in Pas-de-Calais d ...

on the upper Loire which would have been an environmental catastrophe, as it would have inundated some of pristine

gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosion, erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tenden ...

s. As a result, the WWF and other NGOs established the

Loire Vivante 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 ...

(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. Gorges de la Loire

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 Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

(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

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 the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

, while the lower Loire found its source upstream of Orléans in the region of

, flowing westward along the present course. At a certain point during the long history of uplift in the Paris Basin, the lower, Atlantic Loire captured the "palaeo-Loire" or ''Loire séquanaise'' ("

Loire"), producing the present river. The former bed of the ''Loire séquanaise'' is occupied by the Loing. The Loire Valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period from 40–90 ka.Williams & Boone, p.11 Neanderthal 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 megaliths 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 in what is now Orléans and built a bridge over the river. By 600 BC the Loire had already become a very important trading route between the Celts and the Greeks. A key transportation route, it served as one of the great "highways" of France for over 2000 years. The Phoenicians and Greeks had used pack horses to transport goods from Lyon to the Loire to get from the Mediterranean basin to the Atlantic coast.

Ancient Rome, Alans and the Vikings

The Romans successfully subdued the Gauls in 52 BC and began developing Cenabum, which they named

Aurelianis 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 ...

. 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 metro ...

, now Tours, from AD 1. The Romans used the Loire as far as Roanne, 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. 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 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.Williams & Boone, p.12 In 408, the Iranian tribe of Alans crossed the Loire and large hordes of them settled along the middle course of the Loire in Gaul under King Sangiban. Many inhabitants around the present city of Orléans have names bearing witness to the Alan presence – Allaines. In the 9th century, the Vikings began invading the west coast of France, using longships 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 died, marking an end to the Carolingian dynasty. After considerable conflict in the region, in 898 Foulques le Roux of

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France *County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France **Duke ...

gained power.Williams & Boone, p. 14 Château de Montsoreau(Maine-et-Loire)

Medieval period

During the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...

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, causi ...

of 1348–9. The English defeated the French in 1356 and Aquitaine 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, on the Loire, was the turning point of the war. France Orleans Pont George V Cathedrale 01

France Orleans Pont George V Cathedrale 01

In 1477, the first printing press 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 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 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 from 1562 to 1598, Orléans served as a prominent stronghold for the Huguenots 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. It ...

. In 1572 some 3000 Huguenots 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 War ...

. 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

, 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. Typically passenger travel downriver from Orléans to Nantes took eight days, with the upstream journey against the flow taking fourteen. It was also a dumping ground for prisoners in the War in the Vendée 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

came to nothing. The opening of the Canal latéral à la Loire 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

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

. The Canal de Berry, 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 Marseilles-lès-Aubigny () is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. Geography A forestry and farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the rivers Aubois and Loire, ...

to the river

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 joins it near Angers. Another short stretch much further upstream at Decize is also navigable, where a river level crossing from the Canal latéral à la Loire connects to the Canal du Nivernais. 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 vineyards, fruit orchards, artichoke, asparagus and

cherry 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 nam ...

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

, Angers, Blois, Chinon,

, Orléans,

, and Tours, 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, Château de Montsoreau,

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, w ...

Château de Villandry The Château de Villandry is a grand country house located in Villandry, in the ''département'' of Indre-et-Loire, France. It is especially known for its beautiful gardens. History The lands where an ancient fortress once stood were known as '' ...

and Chenonceau, and also for its many cultural monuments, which illustrate the ideals of the Renaissance 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 added the central part of the Loire valley, between Bouchemaine in

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'' of ...

in Loiret, to its list of World Heritage Sites. In choosing this area that includes the French '' départements'' of Loiret,

, Indre-et-Loire, and

, 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 A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in ca ...

" or " donjons" built between 987 and 1040 by Anjou Count Foulques Nerra of

(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 the

, 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 gr ...

and moats 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 (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 Jacques Bougier, nicknamed Boyer de Blois. was a 17th-century French architect who died in 1632. Works Bougier intervened on the decoration of the Henri IV gallery in the gardens of the château de Blois at the beginning of the 17th century. At ...

(1635) of Blois whose classical design is the

Château de Cheverny The Château de Cheverny () is located in Cheverny, Loir-et-Cher, France. It is one of the châteaux of the Loire Valley. History Henry Le Mareschau was the owner of Cheverny in 1315, held under the Count of Blois(F1). It was sold to Jean H ...

;

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 The Château de Serrant is a Renaissance château situated in the Loire Valley, the private residence of the Prince of Merode. The château is to the west of Angers. It is open to visitors. History The Renaissance château is built on the ...

(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 Pagode () is a Brazilian style of music that originated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a subgenre of Samba. Pagode originally meant a celebration with food, music, dance, and party. In 1978, singer Beth Carvalho was introduced to this music, like ...

, 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 Ange-Jacques Gabriel (23 October 1698 – 4 January 1782) was the principal architect of King Louis XV of France. His major works included the Place de la Concorde, the École Militaire, and the Petit Trianon and opera theater at the Palace of Ve ...

(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 is the

Château de Montgeoffroy The Château de Montgeoffroy is an 18th-century manor house located in the commune of Mazé (Maine-et-Loire), France. History In 1676, Érasme de Contades acquired the property. In 1772, Marshal Louis Georges Érasme de Contades, governor of Alsac ...

. 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 ended in France.Williams & Boone, p. 28

Châteaux

The châteaux, 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 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. No ...

– La Roche – Château féodal de Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire –

Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille () is a commune in the Loire department in central France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas region ...

–

Chevenon Chevenon () is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. Demographics On 1 January 2019, the estimated population was 618. See also *Communes of the Nièvre department The following is a list of the 309 communes of the Nièvre de ...

–

Palais ducal de Nevers The Ducal Palace of Nevers (french: Palais ducal de Nevers) is a residence castle of the 15th and 16th centuries that once belonged to the counts and dukes of Nevers. Located in Nevers, France, it is classified as a French '' monument historiq ...

–

Saint-Brisson Saint-Brisson () is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. Points of interest * Herbularium du Morvan See also *Communes of the Nièvre department *Parc naturel régional du Morvan Morvan Regional Natural Park (French: ''Parc ...

–

– La Bussière – Pontchevron –

La Verrerie La Verrerie (; frp, La Vèrriére is a municipality in the district of Veveyse in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It was formed on 1 January 2004 by the union of the municipalities of Le Crêt, Grattavache, and Progens.

(near Aubigny-sur-Nère) –

– Châteauneuf-sur-Loire –

Boisgibault Tracy-sur-Loire (, literally ''Tracy on Loire'') is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. It is located north of Nevers, on the right bank of the middle Loire river, opposite Sancerre. Tracy-Sancerre station has rail connection ...

– Meung-sur-Loire – Menars – Talcy – Château de la Ferté –

– Blois – Villesavin – Cheverny – Beauregard – Troussay – Château de Chaumont –

– 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 Gizeux () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Population The inhabitants are called ''Gizellois''. See also *Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department The following is a list of the 272 communes of the Indre-et-L ...

– Les Réaux –

– Montreuil-Bellay – Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet –

– Boumois –

Brissac Brissac (; Languedocien: ''Briçac'') is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Population Sights *Castle (11th century), rebuilt in the early 16th century. *Parish church of ''Saint-Nazaire et Saint-Celse'' (12th century ...

– Montgeoffroy – Plessis-Bourré – Château des Réaux File:Loire Indre Amboise1 tango7174.jpg,

on the banks of the Loire File:Langeais-Chateau.JPG, Chateau de Langeais File:Loire Cher Blois1 tango7174.jpg,

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 and Classic styles (from right to left). File:Chateau Valencay 20050726.jpg, Château de Valençay. File:Château de Montsoreau(Maine-et-Loire).jpg, Château de Montsoreau

Wine making

The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire from the Muscadet region near the city of

on the Atlantic coast to the region of Sancerre 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 variet ...

just southeast of the city of Orléans in north central France. In between are the regions of

, Bourgueil, 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 Schoo ...

. The Loire Valley itself follows the river through the Loire province to the river's origins in the Cévennes but the majority of the wine production takes place in the regions noted above. The Loire Valley has a long history of winemaking dating back to the 1st century. In the High Middle Ages, the wines of the Loire Valley were the most esteemed wines in England and France, even more prized than those from Bordeaux.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 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 of the area was noted in a publication by the poet Sidonius Apollinaris. 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 Florenti ...

wrote of the frequent

plundering Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

by the

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...

s 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 and

co-operative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

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 are also well planted—including the rivers

and Vienne. The climate can be very cool with spring time frost being a potential hazard for the vines. During the

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

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, pruning and canopy management 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 and Pouilly-Fumé. The Middle Loire is dominated by more Chenin blanc and Cabernet franc wines found in the regions around Touraine,

, Chinon and

. 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 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 of Champagne. The ''Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France'' refers to any varietally 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 French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...

, 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'' (VDQS) and '' Vin de pays'' 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 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 us ...

. 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'' production throughout the Loire valley, it is the second largest sparkling wine producer in France after Champagne. 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 François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...

, ,

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.&n ...

, Pierre de Ronsard, Joachim du Bellay,

Jean de La Fontaine Jean de La Fontaine (, , ; 8 July 162113 April 1695) was a French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his ''Fables'', which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Euro ...

, Charles Péguy, Gaston Couté; and painters such as: Raoul Dufy,

J. M. W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...

, 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 Jean Chabot (October 15, 1806 – May 31, 1860) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Canada East. He was born in Saint-Charles near Lévis in 1806 and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He articled in law with Elzéar Bédar ...

. File:Turner Scene of the Loire.jpg, ''Scène of the Loire'', by

. 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

'',

, 1832, Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art.

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