Water and low flows

The longest river in France collects water from a drainage basin that covers a fifth of mainland France. Despite a few hesitations along its course, this river with ever-changing flows eventually flows out into the Atlantic.

Opposing the current which pushes the body of water westwards is a prevailing wind that fills barges’ sails in the other direction. This distinctive feature, together with its unique course, established the river as a major trading route, allowing goods to be transported over long distances up until the 19^th century.

Attempts at reining it in

Such flourishing trade depended on the riverscape being developed: levees, groynes, submerged dykes and slipways were all constructions that kept water away from the fertile croplands, made way for a navigation channel or facilitated access to the river. When gazing upon a Loire landscape, it’s really quite difficult to tell where nature fits in given the numerous artificial developments intended to tame its waters and cultivate its valley. The Loire levees - embankments built along hundreds of miles of its course - protect the populations settled on the floodplains and have been the focus of close attention for nearly a thousand years.

The return of the wild river

Since canals could not be developed along the Loire, it was necessary to adapt to its fluctuating level, the lack of wind or ice jams in winter. The railway may have ended up prevailing over river-based trade, but some activities, like fishing, have endured and continue to sustain to this day a Loire community committed to protecting the Loire and its environment. Islands, riverside woodlands, limestone hillsides and strands all provide ideal habitats for the wildlife that lives alongside human communities. Salmon, eels, terns and egrets travel thousands of miles to reach the Loire, a refuge for countless migratory species. Beavers, which have been reintroduced at Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire, are now well established.

The most recent developments sometimes endanger local wildlife, however. Weirs, dams, poor quality or low water levels and invasive species all threaten the delicate balance of the Loire ecosystem. The challenge of protecting the river must be taken up collectively, and not just as regards its course, but also our activities right across the drainage basin.