River Loire, the last untamed river of Europe
The River Loire flows for 1,020 kilometres and is the longest river in France and the last untamed river in Europe!
Fed by its tributaries, the Cher, the Indre, the Vienne, and the Thouet, as well as by autumn rains and spring snow-melt, the River Loire can reach impressive levels in record time. Its capricious behaviour makes it unpredictable, frequently overflowing its banks and flooding the surrounding plains.
Millennia of such floods have sculpted a fertile alluvial plain, attracting people since antiquity. The first inhabitants took refuge in natural rock shelters carved out by the current along the limestone cliffs that line its banks. Their descendants ventured into the fertile valley and built houses on islets, which they protected from the river’s periodic floods with small earthen dams, or “turcies.”
However, during periods of drought, the River Loire recedes, revealing its sandy banks, dotted with tranquil ponds and meandering between numerous islets.
La Grande Levée d’Anjou
The Great Dike, or Grande Levée d’Anjou stretches for 50 kilometres and forms the backbone of the Loire Valley. It indeed protects it from the river’s unpredictable nature and allows for the full cultivation of its fertile lands.
In 1160, Henry II of England (Henri Plantagenêt), commissioned the construction of the first dike, a raised embankment fortified with earth and bundles of branches, held in place by sturdy piles. This dike allowed the fertile lands of the valley to be cultivated year-round and ensured navigation.
The residents who volunteered to contribute to its maintenance and reinforcement received numerous privileges. Over the centuries, they worked diligently to enlarge, strengthen, and repair the dike to protect the surrounding lands and communities. At the end of the 15th century, heavy river traffic had transformed the coastal villages into vital trading centres.
The dike was then fortified with stone, and trees were strategically planted along its course to strengthen its foundations. In 1668, a law was passed prohibiting any construction on top of it, thus ensuring its integrity.
However, tragedy struck in 1707 when the Loire River experienced an unexpected flood, breaching the dike and flooding the entire valley. This catastrophic flood claimed countless lives, both human and animal, and submerged entire villages. The river’s force was such that it even altered its course, leaving a landscape forever changed.
Tragically, another equally devastating flood occurred in 1856. Exceeding all predictions, the river breached the dike in several places, once again flooding villages and fields. This event served as a stark reminder that the Loire remained wild and capricious, a force to be both respected and feared!
A new 6.80-meter-high stone dike was then built, serving as a bulwark and protecting the riverside villages. However, despite these measures, the ever-changing nature of the Loire demanded constant vigilance.
In 1884, the playwright Jules Lemaître wrote:
La Loire est une femme , amoureuse et pâmée, The Loire is a woman, amorous and swooning,
Mais prompte à s’échapper en des caprices fous, But quick to indulge in crazy caprices
Loire Valley, the Garden of France
The fertile Loire Valley, enriched with silt or “varennes,” and its mild climate offer ideal conditions for the extensive cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
The Orléans region is particularly renowned for its gardens, parks, and nurseries, which produce fruits and vegetables year-round. Doué is recognised as the French capital of roses, having specialised in the cultivation of this flower, introduced to France by King René of Anjou.
Various fruit varieties have been developed in the region: the Reine-Claude, a plum variety named after Claude of France, the wife of King Francis I; the Bon-Chrétien pear, which originated from a cutting taken from the orchard of King Louis XI at the Château de Plessis-lès-Tours, and the melon introduced by the gardener of King Charles V.
The lush meadows of the Loire Valley also allow for cattle breeding and dairy production. Saint-Paulin is famous for its rich, creamy cow milk cheese, and Selles-sur-Loire is renowned for its AOC goat milk cheese. The town of Loué, for its part, is known for the exceptional quality of its free-range chickens. Le Mans is famous for its rillettes and rilleaux made from goose and pork, while the region boasts stud farms specialising in breeding purebred and draft horses. The importance of this equestrian tradition is evident in institutions such as the Haras d’Angers (Angers National Stud Farm) and the École Nationale d’Équitation (National Riding School) in Saumur.
However, the expansion of road and rail networks has significantly impacted river transport, leading to the closure of the shipyards in Angers and the sail-making workshops in Ancenis, and the downfall of river ports and industries directly linked to river navigation.Indeed, coopers, weavers, coal miners, blacksmiths, millers, and boatmen all had to find new trades.
Milling has disappeared, with only a few windmills still in operation today. The flour produced by these mills is used to make various culinary specialities, such as Fouée, a type of pita bread filled with local products, and the famous Tarte Tatin. The Loire Valley is also renowned for its dried pears, prepared according to an age-old recipe, which make a delicious dessert.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Gabare by Cjp24 CC BY-SA 3.0
