The Loire ( French pronunciation: Ã, [lwa?] ; Occitan: LÃÆ' Â © ger ; Breton: Liger ) is the longest river in France and the longest in the world. With a length of 1,012 kilometers (629 mi), it spans an area of ​​117,054 km 2 (45,195 square meters), or more than one fifth of France's land area, while the average discharge is only half of RhÃÆ'Â'ne.
It rises in the highlands of the southeastern Massif Central quarter in the CÃÆ'à © vennes range (in the department of ArdÃÆ'¨che) at 1,350 m (4,430 ft) near Mont Gerbier de Jonc; flows north through Nevers to Orlà © ans, then west through Tours and Nantes until reaching the Bay of Biscay (the Atlantic Ocean) in Saint-Nazaire. Its tributaries include the river NiÃÆ'¨vre, Maine and Erdre on its right bank, and the rivers of Allier, Cher, Indre, Vienne, and SÃÆ'¨vre Nantaise on the left bank.
The Loire gives its name to six departments: Loire, Haute-Loire, Loire-Atlantique, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire, and SaÃÆ'Â'ne-et-Loire. The center of the Loire Valley, located in the Center-Val de Loire region, was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on December 2, 2000. Vineyards and castles are found along the river banks throughout this section.
The human history of the Loire valley begins with the period of Palaeolithic Central 90-40 kya (a thousand years ago), followed by modern humans (about 30 kya), replaced by the Neolithic period (6,000 to 4,500 BC), all the Stone Age recently in Europe. Then came Gallic, historical tribes in the Loire during the Iron Age of 1500 to 500 BC; they used the Loire as a major river trade route in 600 BC, building trade with the Greeks on the Mediterranean coast. Gallic rule ended in a valley in 56 BC when Julius Caesar conquered a nearby province for Rome. Christianity was introduced to this valley since the 3rd century, when the missionaries (later known as saints), embraced the unbelievers. In this period, the settlers set up vineyards and began to produce wine.
The Loire Valley has been called the "French Garden" and is filled with over a thousand châà ¢ teaux, each with different architectural decorations covering a wide variety, from the early medieval to late Renaissance periods. They were originally created as feudal strongholds, over the past centuries, in a strategic division between southern and northern France; now many are privately owned.
Video Loire
Etimologi
The name "Loire" comes from the Latin Liger , which is also a transcription of the original Gaulish (Celtic) river name. The Gaulish name is derived from the word Gaulish league , which means "silt deposits, deposits, deposits, alluvium", French lying words, as in sur lie , which in turn gives English lees .
League comes from Proto-Indo-European root * leg? - , which means "lying, lying" as in the Welsh word Lleyg which gives many words in English, such as lying, laying, balustrade, law, etc.
Maps Loire
History
Prehistoric period
This palaeo-geographical study of the region shows that the palaeo-Loire flows north and joins the Seine, while the Lower Loire finds its source in the upper reaches of Orlà © ans in the Gien region, flowing west along the present line. At some point during the long history of appointment in the lower Paris Basin, the Atlantic Valley captures the "palaeo-Loire" or the Loire sà © quanaise ("Seine Loire"), producing the current river. The first bed of Loire sÃÆ'  © quanaise is occupied by Loing.
The Loire Valley has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic Middle period of 40-90Ã, ka. Neanderthal Man uses stone tools to make boats from tree trunks and explore the river. Modern man inhabits the Loire Valley about 30 ka. Around 5000 to 4000 BC, they began clearing the forests along the banks of rivers and cultivating the land and raising livestock. They built megaliths to worship the dead, mainly from about 3500 BC. Gaul arrived in the valley between 1500 and 500 BC, and Carnutes settled in Cenabum in what is now Orlà © ans and built a bridge over the river. By 600 BC, the Loire had become a very important trading route between Celtic and Greece. A major transport route, it serves as one of the major "highways" in France for over 2000 years. Phoenicians and Greeks have used horses to transport goods from Lyon to the Loire to get from the Mediterranean basin to the Atlantic coast.
Ancient Rome, Alans, and Viking Rome,
The Romans conquered Gauls in 52 BC and began to develop the Cenabum, which they named Aurelianis. They also began to build the city of Caesarodunum, now Tours, from AD 1. The Romans used the Loire as far as Roanne, about 150 km (93 mi) downstream from its source. After AD 16, the Loire valley became part of the Roman province of Aquitania, with its capital at Avaricum. From the 3rd century, Christianity spread through river valleys, and many religious leaders began to cultivate vineyards along the banks of the river.
In the fifth century, the Roman Empire declined and the Franks and Alemanni came to the area from the east. After this there was a continuing conflict between the Franks and the Visigoths. In 408, the Iranian tribe of Alans crossed the Loire and a large number of them settled along the middle of the Loire in Gaul beneath King Sangiban. Many residents around the city now Orlà © ans have a name to witness the presence of Alan - Allaines.
In the 9th century, Vikings began attacking the west coast of France, using long ships to navigate the Loire. In 853 they attacked and destroyed the famous Tours and monasteries, then destroyed Angers in the attacks of 854 and 872. In 877 Charles the Bald died, marking the end of the Carolingian dynasty. After the great conflicts in the region, in 898 Foulques le Roux of Anjou gained power.
Medieval
During the Hundred Years War from 1337 to 1453, the Loire marked the border between France and England, occupying the territory in the north. A third of the population died in the Black Death epidemic 1348-9. England defeated France in 1356 and Aquitaine came under British control in 1360. In 1429, Joan of Arc persuaded Charles VII to expel Britain from the country. His successful release of the siege of Orlà © ans, in the Loire, was the turning point of the war.
In 1477, the first printing press in France was established in Angers, and around this time Chateau de Langeais and Chateau de Montsoreau were built. During the reign of FranÃÆ'§ois I from 1515 to 1547, the Italian Renaissance had a major influence on the region, as people adopted its elements in architecture and culture, especially among the elite who expressed its principles in their chateaus.
In the 1530s, Reforms had reached the Loire valley, with some being Protestant. The religious war took place and in 1560 Catholics immersed hundreds of Protestants on the river. During the Religious War from 1562 to 1598, Orléans served as an important fortress for Huguenot but in 1568, the Protestant detonated the Orléans of the Cathedral. In 1572, about 3000 Huguenot was massacred in Paris in the St. Mary's massacre. Bartholomew. Hundreds of others drowned in the Loire Valley by Catholics.
1600-present
For centuries local people used wooden embankments and dredging to try to maintain a navigable channel in the river, so it is essential for transportation. River traffic increased gradually, with a toll system used in the middle ages. Today several toll bridges still exist, dated over 800 years. During the 17th century, Jean-Baptiste Colbert instituted the use of stone retaining walls and piers from Roanne to Nantes, which helped make the river more reliable, but the navigation was still often stopped by excessive conditions during floods and droughts. In 1707, the flood was said to drown 50,000 people in a river valley, with water rising over 3 m (9.8 feet) in two hours in Orlà © ans. Usually the passenger journey downstream from Orlà © ans to Nantes takes eight days, with a trip upstream against the current that takes fourteen years. It was also a place of exile for prisoners in War at Vendee because they thought it was a more effective way to kill.
Soon after the early 19th century, steam-driven passenger ships started crossing the river between Nantes and Orléans, making upstream trips faster; In 1843, 70,000 passengers were taken annually in the Lower Valley and 37,000 in the Upper Valley. But the competition from the railroad, which began in the 1840s, led to a decline in trade in the river. The proposal to develop a river that can be navigated to Briare is useless. The opening of Canal latÃÆ'Â la laireire in 1838 enabled the navigation between Digoin and Briare to continue, but the crossing of the Briare river remained a problem until the construction of the Briare waterway in 1896. At 662.69 meters (2,174.2 feet) this is the longest structure in the world for some time.
The Canal de Roanne ÃÆ' Digoin was also opened in 1838. Almost closed in 1971 but, in the early 21st century, it still provides further navigation to the Loire valley to Digoin. Canal de Berry 261 km (162 mi), narrow canal with a mere 2.7 m (8.9 ft) wide, opened in the 1820s and connects the Canal latale la Loire in Marseilles-lÃÆ'¨s- Aubigny to the river Cher at Noyers and back to the Loire near Tours, closed in 1955.
Today the river is officially navigable as far as Bouchemaine, where Maine joins near Angers. Other short stretches further upstream in Decize can also be navigated, where the river level across from Canal latÃÆ' © ral à la la Loire connects to Canal du Nivernais.
Timeline
The French monarchy ruled in the Loire Valley for several centuries, naming it "The Valley of Kings". These rulers started with Galia, followed by the Romans, and the Frank Dynasty. They were replaced by French kings, who ruled from the late 14th century until the French Revolution; together these rulers contribute to the development of the valley. The chronology of the rulers is presented; in the table below.
Geography
The source of the river is located east of Massif Central, at the springs to the southern side of Mont Gerbier de Jonc on 44Ã, Â ° 50? 38? N 4Ã, Â ° 13? 12? E . It is located in the north-eastern plateau of CÃÆ' Â © southern vennes, in the ArdÃÆ'¨che commune of Sainte-Eulalie from southeastern France. It was originally just a trickle of water located at 1.408 m (4,619 ft) above sea level. The presence of aquifers under Mont Gerbier de Jonc spawns many sources, three of which are located at the foot of the Mountain have been highlighted as the source of the river. Three streams meet to form the Loire, which descends the southern valley of the Mountain through the village of Sainte-Eulalie itself.
The Loire is changing direction, due to tectonic deformation, from the original abyss to the English Channel to the new ravine to the Atlantic Ocean thus creating the current visible canyon, the Loire Valley with alluvium formations and long stretches of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. Rivers can be divided into three major zones; The Upper Loire is the region from source to meeting with Allier, the center of the Loire Valley which is the area from Allier to the meeting with Maine, about 280 km (170 mi), and the Lower Loire which is the area from Maine to the estuary. In the basin of the river flows through a narrow valley that is incised, marked by canyons and forests at the edges and different low populations. In the middle, the alluvial plains widen and meanders rivers and forks into multi-channels. The river flow is very high in the river area near Roanne and Vichy up to the meeting with Allier. In the middle of the river in the Loire Valley, many dikes built between the 12th and 19th centuries exist, providing flood mitigation. In this section the river is relatively straight, except for the area near Orlà © ans and many sand banks and islands exist. The lower river lanes are characterized by wetlands and fens, which are very important for conservationists considering that they form a unique habitat for migratory birds.
The Loire River flows north through Roanne and Nevers to Orleans and then west through Tours to Nantes, where it forms the estuary. Flows into the Atlantic Ocean in 47A 16? 44? N 2  ° 10? 19? W entre Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, connected by a bridge over a river estuary near ik. Some French departments are named after the Loire. Loire flows through the cover  © following departments and towns: ArdÃÆ'¨che, Haute-Loire: Le Puy-en-Velay, Loire Feurs Roanne, SaÃÆ''ne-et-Loire: Digoin, Allier, Nevers Decize NiÃÆ'¨vre, charity  © sur-Loire, Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, Cher: Sancerre Loiret: Briare, Gien, Orleans  © year, Center: Blois, Indre-et-Loire: Amboise, Tours, Maine-et-Loire: Saumur , Loire-Atlantique: Ancenis, Nantes, Saint-Nazaire.
The Loire valley in the Loire valley is a 300 km (190 miles) stretch of land on the western side of the river that begins with Orlà © ans and ends in Nantes, 56 km (35 mi), beneath the Loire and Atlantic Oceans.. The tidal stretch extends over 60 km (37 mi) and width of 3 km (1.9 mi), which has an oil refinery, a Saint-Nazaire port and a 40,000 hectare (99,000 acre) wetland formation dated 7500 BC (caused by a puddle by sea water on the northern edge of the estuary), and the beaches of Le Croisic and La Baule along the coastline.
Stream
Its tributaries include the Maine, NiÃÆ'¨vre and Erdre rivers on its right bank, and the Allier, Cher, Indre, Vienne, and SÃÆ'¨vre Nantaise rivers on the left bank. The largest tributary is Allier, along 410 km (250 mi), which joins the Loire near the town of Nevers in the span of the map, aerial photographs and other data for this location. > 46Ã, Â ° 57? 34? N 3Ã, Â ° 4? 44? E . The Lower Nevers River is located in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its beautiful castles. The second longest river is the Vienne 372 km (231 mi) that joins the Loire at Candes-Saint-Martin on the span of the map, aerial photography and other data for this location 47 Â ° 12? 45? N 0 Â ° 4? 31? E, followed by 367.5 km (228.4 mi) of Cher, which joins the Loire near Cinq-Mars-la-Pile in > 47Ã, Â ° 20? 33? N 0 Â ° 28? 49? E and Indre 287 km (178 mi), which joined the Loire near NÃÆ'Â Â © man on 47Ã, Â ° 14? 2? N 0 Â ° 11? 0? E .
Geology
Geologic formations in the Loire basin can be grouped into two sets of formations, namely, basement domains and sedimentary formation domains. The basement domain consists primarily of metamorphic and fragmented rocks containing silica with groundwater occurring in the gap. Sediment domains are composed of limestone and carbon rocks, which, where saturated, form a productive aquifer. Rock outcrops from granite or basal are also exposed at the bottom of the river in some stretches.
The middle stretch of the river has many limestone caves inhabited by humans in prehistoric times; The cave is some kind of limestone formation, ie tuffeau (a type of porous lime, not to be confused with tuffs) and Falun (formed 12 million years ago). The coastal zone shows hard black rocks, granite, schist and thick earthen coats.
Discharge and flood regulation
This river has a discharge rate of 863 m 3 /s (30,500 cuÃ, ft/s), which is averaged over the period 1967-2008. The rate of discharge varies greatly along the river, with about 350 m 3 /s (12,000 cuÃ, ft/s) in OrlÃÆ'Ã… © ans and 900 m 3 /s (32,000 Ã, cuÃ, ft/s) in the mouth. It also relies heavily on the season, and the flow is only 10 m 3 /s (350Ã, cuÃ, ft/s) not infrequently in August-September near OrlÃÆ'Â ans. During the floods, which usually occur in February and March but also in other periods, the flow sometimes exceeds 2,000 m 3 /s (71,000 cuÃ,ft/s) for the Upper Valley and 8,000m < > 3 /s (280,000 cuÃ, ft/s) 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 that create obstacles to their natural flow. This stream is no longer partly governed by three dams: Grangent Dam and Villerest Dam in the Loire and Naussac Dam at Allier. Villerest Dam, built in 1985 several kilometers south of Roanne, has played a key role in preventing recent floods. As a result, the Loire is a very popular river for boating trips, flowing through the pastoral countryside, past limestone cliffs and historic palaces. Four nuclear power plants are located on the river: Belleville, Chinon, Dampierre and Saint-Laurent.
In 1700, Nantes port numbered more inland waterways than any other port in France, which testifies to the importance of historic navigation in the longest river in France. Shallow-draft
Starting 2017, the following sections can be navigated:
- Loire maritime: 53 km from Atlantic Ocean in Saint-Nazaire to Nantes, without keys
- The Loire: 84 km from Nantes to Bouchemaine near Angers, no key
- Canal latÃÆ'Â © ral ÃÆ' la Loire: 196 km from Briare to Digoin, parallel to the river, 36 keys
- Canal de Roanne ÃÆ' Digoin: 56 km from Digoin to Roanne, parallel to the river, 10 keys
Climate
The French adjective ligÃÆ'  © rien is derived from the name of the Loire, as in le climat ligÃÆ'  © rien ("climate of the Loire Valley"). Climate is considered the most fun in northern France, with warmer winters and, more generally, fewer extremes in temperature, rarely exceeding 38Ã, ° C (100Ã, ° F). It is identified as a temperate maritime climate, and is characterized by a lack of droughts and heavy rains and snowfall in the winter, especially in the upper reaches of rivers. 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 has 690 mm (27.2 in) rainfall along the coast and 648 mm (25.5 inches) inland.
Flora
The central region of the Loire valley is France's largest forest, "ForÃÆ'ªt d'OrlÃÆ' ans", covering an area of ​​38,234 hectares (94,480 hectares), and a 5,440-hectare (13,400 acre) forest park known as "Foret de Chambord". Other vegetation in the valley, mostly under personal control, consists of oak, beech and pine species. In swampy soil, ash, alder and willow grow with duckweed gives the necessary natural fertilizing effect. The Atlantic coast is home to several aquatic plants, an important species is Salicornia, which is used as a foodstuff because of its diuretic value. The Greeks introduced the vines. The Romans introduced melons, apples, cherries, quinces and pears during the Middle Ages, aside from extracting saffron from the purple crocus species in Orlà © ans. Reine claude ( Prunus domestica italica ) tree species planted in ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau garden. Asparagus was also brought from northwestern France.
Wildlife
The river flows through the continental ecoregion of the Massif central and the southern Bassin Parisien and on the Lower lane partly through the South Atlantic and Brittany.
Plankton
With more than 100 species of algae, the Loire has the highest phytoplankton diversity among the French rivers. The most abundant are diatoms and green algae (about 15% mass) that mostly occur at the bottom. Their total mass is low when the river flow exceeds 800 m 3 /s (28,000 cuÃ, ft/s) and becomes significant at 300 m 3 /s (11,000 Ã, cuà , Ft/s) or lower that occurs in summer. With a decrease in flow, the first species to emerge are single-celled diatoms such as Cyclostephanos invisitatus , C. cherish , S. Hantzschii and Thalassiosira pseudonana . They then merged with multicellular forms including Fragilaria crotonensis, Nitzschia fruticosa and Skeletonema potamos, and green algae forming star-shaped or prostrate stars. colony. While total biomass is low in upstream, high biodiversity, with over 250 taxa in Orlà © ans. At high and upper streams, the fraction of green algae decreases and phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms. Heterotrophic bacteria are represented by cocci (49%), stems (35%), colonies (12%) and filaments (4%) with total density up to 1.4 ÃÆ' - 10 10 cells per liter.
Fish
Almost every species of French freshwater fish can be found in the Loire valley, which is about 57 species from 20 families. Many of them migrate, with 11 species riding rivers for spawning. The most common species are the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar ), marine fish ( Salmo trutta ), shads ( Alosa alosa and Alosa fallax ), sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) lamprey of the European river Lampetra fluviatilis and Osmerus eperlanus ( >). Eu Europe (Anguilla Anguilla ) is common in upstream, while flounder ( Platichtys flesus ) and flathead mullet ( Mugil spp.) Tend to live near the estuary river. The rivers host brown trout ( Salmo trutta Cottus gobio ), European lamprey brook ( Lampetra planeri ), zander ( Sander lucioperca ), nase ( Chondrostoma nasus and C. toxostoma ) and wels catfish ( Siluris glanis ). Endangered species include grayling ( Thymallus thymallus ), burbot (Lota lota ) and bitterling ( Rhodeus sericeus ) and non-native species are represented by bass rock ( Ambloplites rupestris ).
Although only one extinct species of native fish in the Loire, the European marine sturgeon ( Acipenser sturio ) in the 1940s, fish populations declined, largely due to a decrease in the spawning area. The latter is largely influenced by industrial pollution, the construction of dams and drainage of cattle and swamps. The loss of spawning places mostly affects the spear ( Esox lucius ), which is the main predator of the Loire, as well as eels, gurame, rudd and salmon. The large Loire salmon, a subspecies of Atlantic salmon, is considered a symbolic river fish. Its population has declined from about 100,000 in the 19th century to below 100 in the 1990s which resulted in the adoption of a total ban on salmon fishing in the Loire valley in 1984. The salmon restoration program began in the 1980s and was incorporated as measures as the elimination of two obsolete hydroelectric dams and the introduction of juvenile stock. As a result, the salmon population increased to about 500 in 2005.
Amphibians
Most of the Loire amphibians are found in the slow flow areas near the delta, especially in floodplains, swamps and cows. They are dominated by fire salamander ( Salamandra salamandra ), frogs and frogs. The frog includes Bufo bufo , Alytes obstetricans, Bombina variegata , Bufo calamita , Pelobates fuscus i & gt; and Pelobate cultripes . The frog is represented by the Parsley frog ( Pelodites punctatus ), the European tree frog ( Hyla arborea ), Common Frog ( Rana temporaria ), Agile Frog (< i> R. Dalmatina ), Edible Frogs ( R. Esculenta ), Perez's Frog (R. Perezi ), frogs swamps ( R. ridubunda ) and Pool Frog ( R. lessonae ). Newts of the Loire include Marbled Newt ( Triturus marmoratus ), Smooth Newt ( T. Vulgaris ), Alpine Newt ( T. alpestris ) and Palmate Newt ( T. helveticus ). Avifauna
The Loire hosts about 64% of the species of French nesting birds, which are 164 species, of which 54 are water birds, 44 are common species for managed forests, 41 to natural forests, 13 to open and 12 to rocky areas. The Avifauna was somewhat stable, at least between the 1980s and 2000s, with significant variations of abundance observed for only 17 species. Of them, five species grow in the population, four decline, and eight others fluctuate. Some of these variations have global properties, such as the expansion of the Mediterranean seagulls in Europe.
Preservation
The Loire has been described as "perpetually under threat of losing its status as the last wild river in France". The reason is the length and the likelihood of extensive navigation, which severely limits the scope of river conservation. The Federation, a member of the IUCN since 1970, has been crucial in a campaign to save the Loire river system from development.
In 1986, the French government, the Loire Air-Brittany and EPALA completed agreements on flood prevention and water storage programs in the basin, involving the construction of four large dams, one in the Loire itself and three in Allier and Cher. The French government proposed the construction of a dam in Serre de la Fare in the upper Loire that would be an environmental disaster, as it would flood about 20 km (12 miles) from a native gorge. As a result, WWF and other NGOs established the Loire Vivante (Living Loire) network in 1988 against the Serre de la Fare dam scheme and arranged an initial meeting with the French Minister of the Environment. The French government initially rejected conservation issues and in 1989 gave the project a green light dam. This sparked public demonstrations by WWF and conservation groups. In 1990, Loire Vivante met with the French prime minister and government, this time succeeding as the government then demanded that EPALA initiate major reforms in its approach to managing the river. Due to extensive lobbying, proposals and other proposals of dams were eventually denied in the 1990s and the Serre de la Fare area has been protected as a 'Natura 2000' site under EU environmental legislation.
WWF is critical in changing the perception of French authorities in supporting the construction of dams for environmental protection and sustainable management of their river basins. In 1992, they assisted the 'Loire Nature' project, which received approximately US $ 9 million under the EU 'LIFE' program until 1999, initiating the restoration of river and wildlife ecosystems. That year, the Upper Valley Valley Peasant Association was also established through a partnership between SOS Loire Vivante and farmers' unions to promote sustainable rural tourism. The French government adopted the Natural Loire River Plan in January 1994, commencing the decommissioning of three dams in the river. The last dam was closed by ÃÆ'â € ° lectricitÃÆ'Â © de France at a cost of 7 million francs in 1998. The basis of the decision was that the economic benefits of the dam did not exceed its significant ecological impact, so the aim was to restore the river ecosystem and replenish the stock of salmon The Loire is great. The Loire is unique in that it is because the Atlantic salmon can swim as far as 900 km (560 mi) to the river and lay eggs at the top of Allier. The French government undertook this grand plan, mainly because of excessive pollution and overfishing has reduced about 100,000 salmon each year to migrate to their spawning areas upstream of the Loire and its tributaries to only 67 salmon in 1996 over Allier.
WWF, BirdLife International, and local conservation agencies have also made great efforts to improve the conservation of the Loire estuary and its surroundings, given that they are a unique habitat for bird migration. Estuary and coastline are also important for fishing, shellfish cultivation and tourism. The main commercial port of Nantes has caused severe damage to the estuary ecosystem of the Loire. In 2002, WWF assisted the second project of the Nature Nature and expanded its coverage to the entire basin, handling approximately 4,500 hectares (11,000 hectares) of land under a budget of US $ 18 million, primarily funded by governments and public bodies, such as ÃÆ'â € ° tablissement Publique Loire (EPL), a public institution that previously advocated large-scale dam projects on the river.
Loire Valley
The Loire valley is located amid a stretch of river, extending about 280 km (170 mi) and comprising of an area of ​​†<†< about 800 km 2 (310Ã, sqÃ, mi). It is also known as the French Garden - due to the vastness of vineyards, orchards, artichokes, asparagus and cherry fields lining the banks of the river - as well as "French language crib". This is also important for its architectural heritage: in part for its historic cities such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orlà © ans, Saumur, and Tours, but especially for its castles, such as ChÃÆ' ¢ teau d 'Amboise, Château d'Angers, ChÃÆ' ¢ teau de Chambord, ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Montsoreau, ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau d'Ussà ©  ©, ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Villandry and Chenonceau, as well as for many cultural monuments, depicting the ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment on the thinking and design of Western Europe.
On December 2, 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire Valley, between Bouchemaine in Anjou and Sully-sur-Loire in Loiret, to the list of World Heritage Sites. In selecting this area which includes the French dÃÆ' Â © partements of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, and Maine-et-Loire, the committee said that the Loire Valley is: "cultural landscape which is incredible, very beautiful, made up of historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments - ChÃÆ' Â ¢ teaux - and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between the local population and their physical environment, especially the Loire itself. "
Architecture
Architectural buildings were created in the Loire valley from the 10th century onwards with a bastion of such structures called "hold" or "donjons" built between 987 and 1040 by Anjou Count Foulques Nerra of Anjou (Falcon). However, one of France's oldest structures is Donjon de Foulques Nerra built in 944.
This style was replaced by the style of religious architecture in the 12th to 14th centuries when impenetrable chÃÆ'  ¢ teau forts were built on rocky hills; one of the most impressive forts of this type is ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau d'Angers, which has 17 horrible towers. This was followed by aesthetically built chi  ¢ teaux (also functioning as residential units), which replaced the rectangular layout of the storage. However, the exterior defense structure, in the form of portcullis and trenches that surround the thick walls of the fort chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux maintained. There was further refinement in the design of chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux in the fifteenth century before the Baroque style became famous for its elegantly decorated and decorative interior and which became fashionable from the 16th to the end of the 18th century.
The Baroque-style artists who created some beautiful chÃÆ'tà ¢ teau structures are: Paris, FranÃÆ'§ois Mansart (1598-1662) whose classical symmetrical design is seen in ChÃÆ'  à ¢ teau de Blois; Jacques Bougier (1635) from Blois whose classic design is ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Cheverny; Guillaume Bautru renovated ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Serrant (at the extreme west end of the valley). In the 17th century, there was a rapid pace in the design of chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux to introduce an exotic style; the important structure of this period was the Pagode de Chanteloup in Amboise, built between 1773 and 1778.
The style of Neoclassical architecture, is the revival of Classical architectural style, which emerged in the mid-18th century; one of the most famous structures is ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Menars built by Jacques Ange Gabriel (1698-1782) who was the royal architect of Louis XV's palace (1715-74). This style was perpetuated during the reign of Louis XVI (1774-92) but with more refinement; one of the chau  ¢ teau seen closely to Angers is ChÃÆ' ¢ teau de Montgeoffroy. The furniture inside chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux also witnessed a change that suits the lifestyle of its inhabitants. Gardens, both decorative fountains, walking flower beds and grass tend to be) and the type of kitchen (to grow vegetables), also highlight the luxury of chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux.
During the French Revolution (1789), however, there was a radical change to the worst conditions in the chateaus scenario, when the monarchy ended in France.
ChÃÆ' Â ¢ teaux
ChÃÆ' ¢ teaux, numbering more than three hundred, represented the nation of builders beginning with the necessary castle fort in the 10th century until the splendor that was built half a millennium later. When the kings of France began to build their mansions here, the nobles, not wanting or even daring to be away from the center of power, followed. Their presence in a fertile and fertile valley began to attract the best landscape designers. Currently, this privately owned chÃÆ'  ¢ teaux serves as a house, some open their doors for tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many taken over by local government authorities or giant structures such as those at Chambord are owned and operated by national governments and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Some of the famous ChÃÆ' ¢ teaux in the Loire include Beaufort - Mareuil sur Cher - LavoÃÆ' »te-Polignac - BouthÃÆ' © in - Montrond - Bastie d'UrfÃÆ' © - ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau fÃÆ'  © odal des Cornes d'UrfÃÆ' © - La Roche - ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau fÃÆ'  © odal de Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire - Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille - Chevenon - Palais ducal de Nevers - Saint-Brisson - Gien - La BussiÃÆ'¨re - Pontchevron - La Verrerie (near Aubigny-sur-NÃÆ'¨re) - Sully-sur-Loire - ChÃÆ'  ¢ teauneuf-sur-Loire - Boisgibault - Meung-sur-Loire - Menars - Talcy - ChÃÆ'Âaà © teà © de la Fertà ©  © - Chambord - Blois - Villesavin - Cheverny - Beauregard - Troussay - ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau de Chaumont - Amboise - Clos-Lucà © Ã… © - Langeais - Gizeux - Les Rà © aux - Montsoreau - Montreuil-Bellay - Saint-Loup-sur- Thouet - Saumur - Boumois - Brissac - Montgeoffroy - Plessis-BourrÃÆ' © - ChÃÆ'  ¢ teau des RÃÆ'  © aux
Wine Making
The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine region located along the Loire River from the Muscadet region near the city of Nantes on the Atlantic coast to the Sancerre and Pouilly-FumÃÆ'Â hanya region just southeast of the city of OrlÃÆ'Â ans in northern central France. Among these are the Anjou, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, and Vouvray regions. The Loire Valley itself follows the river through the Loire province to the river's origins in CÃÆ' Â © vennes but most of the wine production takes place in the above-mentioned areas.
The Loire Valley has a long history of wine making dating from the 1st century. In the High Middle Ages, wine from the Loire Valley was the most honorable wine in England and France, even more precious than that of Bordeaux. Archaeological evidence shows that the Romans planted the first vineyards in the Loire Valley during their settlement in Gaul in the 1st century. In the fifth century, the growing viticulture in the area was recorded in a publication by the poet Sidonius Apollinaris. In his History of the Franks , Bishop Gregory of Tours writes about the often looted by the Bretons from the wine stocks in the area. In the 11th century, Sancerre grapes have a reputation throughout Europe because of their high quality. Historically, Loire Valley wineries have small, family-owned operations that do a lot of bottling of estate. The mid-1990s saw an increase in the number of non-governors and cooperatives to now about half of Sancerre and nearly 80% of Muscadet was bottled by a governor or co-op.
The Loire River has a significant effect on the mesoclimate region, adding some required degree of temperatures that allow wine to grow when areas in the north and south of the Loire Valley have proven unprofitable for wine maintenance. In addition to discovering vineyards along the Loire, several tributaries are also well planted - including Allier, Cher, Indre, Loir, SÃÆ'¨vre Nantaise, and Vienne Rivers. The climate can be very cool with spring ice which is a potential danger for vines. During the harvest season, rain can cause grapes to be harvested under mature but can also assist in the development of Botrytis cinerea for dessert wines in the region.
The Loire Valley has a high density of grape cultivation with an average of 4,000-5,000 vines per hectare (1,600-2,000 per hectare). Some Sancerre vineyards have as many as 10,000 plants per hectare. With more vines competing for the same limited resources on the ground, the density is designed to compensate for the excessive results that some grape varieties, such as Chenin blanc, tend to have. In recent years, pruning and canopy management have begun to limit crop yields more effectively.
The Loire Valley is often divided into three parts. The Upper Loire includes the Sauvignon blanc area dominating Sancerre and Pouilly-FumÃÆ'Â ©. The Middle Loire is dominated by more Chenin blanc and Cabernet franc grapes found in the area around Touraine, Saumur, Chinon and Vouvray. The Lower Loire that leads to the mouth of the river entrance to the Atlantic through the Muscadet region dominated by grapes from the Melon de Bourgogne wine. Spread over the Loire Valley are 87 names under the AOC, VDQS and Vin de Pays systems. There are two generic designations that can be used throughout the Loire Valley. The CrÃÆ' Â © mant de Loire refers to sparkling wine made in accordance with the traditional method of Champagne. The Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France refers to any labeled wine, such as Chardonnay, produced in regions outside the AOC designation.
This area includes 87 applications under Designation d'origin contrÃÆ'Â'lÃÆ'  © e (AOC), Vin DÃÆ' © limitÃÆ' © de QualitÃÆ'  © Superieure (VDQS) and Vin de pay system. While most of the production is white wine from Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc and Melon de Bourgogne wine, there is red wine made (especially around the Chinon region) of Cabernet franc. Besides still wine, rosà ©, sparkling wine and desserts are also produced. With CrÃÆ'  © mant production throughout the Loire Valley, it is the second largest French sparkling producer in France after Champagne. Among these different wine styles, Loire wines tend to exhibit the characteristics of fruit with fresh, fresh taste - especially in their youth.
Art
The Loire has inspired many poets and writers, including: Charles d'OrlÃÆ' ans, FranÃÆ'§ois Rabelais, Renà ©  © Guy Cadou, ClÃÆ'  © ment Marot, Pierre de Ronsard, Joachim du Bellay, Jean de La Fontaine, Charles PÃÆ' © guy, Gaston Coutà ©  ©; and painters such as Raoul Dufy, J. M. W. Turner, Gustave Courbet, Auguste Rodin, FÃÆ' © Edix de Vallotton, Jacques Villon, Jean-Max Albert, Charles Leduc, Edmond Bertreux, and Jean Chabot.
See also
- French River
- Pays-de-la-Loire region
References
Bibliography
- Williams, Nicola; Boone, Virginie (May 1, 2002), The Loire , Lonely Planet, ISBN 978-1-86450-358-6
Garrett, Martin, The Loire: Cultural History. 2010, Signal Book.
Pays de la Loire, waterway guide No. 10 , Edition du Breil. pp 8-27, for navigation sections (guides in English, French and German)
External links
- The River Loire guides, places, harbors and moorings on the river within reachable distance from Maine to Saint-Nazaire, by Imland's Inland Waterways of France writer Imray.
- Navigation details for 80 French streams and canals (part of the French waterway website)
- (in English) Tourist Office Board of the Loire Valley
- (in English) Waterways In Western Loire - Free Online Travel Brochure
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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