The River's Journey

The Loire begins its 1,012-kilometer journey in the volcanic highlands of the Massif Central, specifically at Mont Gerbier de Jonc in the Ardèche. From these modest origins at 1,551 meters altitude, France's longest river gathers strength and tributaries as it flows northward, then curves westward in a great arc through the heart of France before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Nazaire.

The section we call the Loire Valley—that UNESCO-protected stretch from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes-sur-Loire—represents the river at its most culturally significant. Here, the Loire has carved a broad valley through ancient limestone plateaus, creating the perfect conditions for human settlement, agriculture, and the construction of the magnificent châteaux that would follow.

Unlike many European rivers that have been heavily engineered, the Loire maintains much of its wild character. It remains Europe's last major untamed river, with shifting sandbanks, seasonal islands, and channels that change course with the floods and droughts. This dynamism creates challenges—medieval builders learned to respect the river's moods—but also maintains ecological richness that more controlled waterways have lost.