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Loire River Facts & Worksheets

The Loire River is the 171st-longest river in the world and the longest in France. Although its average discharge is roughly half that of the Rhône, it drains 117,054 km or more than a quarter of France's area.

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The Loire River is the 171st-longest river in the world and the longest in France. Although its average discharge is roughly half that of the Rhône, it drains 117,054 km or more than a quarter of France’s area.

See the fact file below for more information about the Loire River, or you can download our 28-page Loire River worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • Some believe that the Middle Palaeolithic period, modern people, the Neolithic period, and the entire recent Stone Age in Europe mark the beginning of human history in the Loire River basin. Then, during the Iron Age, between 1500 and 500 BCE, the Gauls, one of the native tribes, arrived. By 600 BCE, they were using the Loire as a major commerce route, traveling via Lyon on the Rhône with pack horses to connect its trade, such as the metals from the Armorican Massif, with Phoenicia and Ancient Greece.
  • When Julius Caesar won the nearby provinces for Rome in 56 BCE, the authority of the Galls in the valley ended.
  • In the third century CE, missionaries brought Christianity to this valley by converting the local pagans. During this time, settlers built vineyards and started making wine.
  • On the other hand, the Loire River, which has been dubbed the “Garden of France” and has structures from the early medieval to the late Renaissance eras, each with distinctive architectural details. 
  • In the past, they were built as feudal fortresses along the critical border between southern and northern France; today, many are privately owned.

ETYMOLOGY

  • The word Loire is derived from the Latin word “Liger,” which is a transcription of the river’s native Gaulish (Celtic) name. Liga, meaning “silt, sediment, deposit, or alluvium” in Gaulish, was the source of the French word lie, which gave rise to the English word lees.
  • Liga is derived from Proto-Indo-European, which means “to lie, lay,” as in the Welsh word Lleyg, and which also gave rise to many English words such as lie, lay, ledge, law, and so on.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Due to tectonic deformations, the Loire changed its course from its initial outfall into the English Channel to its new outfall into the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in today’s narrow terrain of gorges, the Loire Valley, with alluvium formations.
  • Moreover, the river can be divided into three main zones:
    • Upper Loire, from its headwaters to its junction with the Allier.
    • Middle Loire, around 280 kilometers (170 mi) from the Allier to the junction with Maine.
    • Lower Loire, the region from Maine to the estuary.
  • The river passes through a narrow, indented valley in the upper basin, with gorges and woods on the borders and a distinct low population. The alluvial plain broadens as the river meanders and branches into many channels in the intermediate stretch. River flow is notably high in the river basin near Roanne and Vichy, up to the Allier confluence.
  • Numerous dikes built between the 12th and 19th centuries exist in the Loire Valley middle stretch of the river, providing flood prevention. Except for the area around Orléans, the river is straight, mainly in this part, with various sandbanks and islands.

GEOLOGY

  • The mineral deposits in the Loire River basin can be divided into two categories: basement formations and sedimentary formations. The basement domain comprises metamorphic and siliceous fractured rocks, with groundwater flowing via fractures.
  • The sedimentary domain comprises limestone and carbonaceous rocks, which generate productive aquifers when saturated. Several portions of the river bed include exposed granite or basalt rock outcrops.
  • Humans inhabited many limestone caverns in the prehistoric age in the middle sections of the river; the caves are many types of limestone formations, namely Tuffeau and Falun. Strong dark stones, granite, schist, and a thick soil layer characterize the coastal zone.
  • In 1700, Nantes had the most inland waterway boats of any port in France, demonstrating the ancient significance of sailing on France’s longest river.
  • The climate is regarded as the most pleasant in northern France, with milder winters and fewer temperature extremes, rarely topping 38 °C. It has a temperate maritime climate, with no dry seasons and intense rainfall and snowfall in winter.
  • The amount of bright hours per year ranges from 1400 to 2200 and rises from northwest to southeast. The Loire Valley, in particular, has a temperate climate. Rainfall averages 690 mm (27.2 in) towards the shore and 648 mm (25.5 in) inland.

FLORA AND FAUNA

  • The forest of Orléans, which covers 38,234 hectares, and the 5,440-hectare woodland park known as the “Foret de Chambord” are both located in the Centre region of the Loire River. Other flora in the valley, mainly under private ownership, consists of oak, beech, and pine tree species.
  • Various aquatic herbs inhabit the Atlantic coast, the most notable being Salicornia, often utilized as a culinary ingredient due to its diuretic properties. The Greeks introduced Vine cultivation. During the Middle Ages, the Romans introduced melons, apples, cherries, quinces, and pears and harvested saffron from purple crocus species in Orleans. 
  • On the other hand, the Loire River contains the most phytoplankton diversity of any French river, with over 100 alga species. The most abundant (approximately 15% by mass) are diatoms and green algae, typically found in the lower reaches.
  • Furthermore, the Loire River watershed has nearly every freshwater fish species found in France, totaling 57 species from 20 families. Many are migratory, with 11 different species climbing the river to spawn. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), sea trout (Salmo trutta), shad (Alosa alosa and Alosa fallax), sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), European river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis), and smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) are the most prevalent species. 
  • Although only one native fish species, the European sea sturgeon (Acipenser sturio), became extinct in the Loire in the 1940s, the fish population is dropping, owing primarily to a reduction in industrial pollutants, dam development, and oxbow and marsh drainage significantly impact the latter.
  • The Loire contains approximately 64% of France’s breeding bird species, or 164 species, of which 54 are water birds, 44 are prevalent in managed forests, 41 in natural forests, 13 in open regions, and 12 in rocky areas. This avifauna has been constant between the 1980s and the 2000s, with only 17 species exhibiting substantial abundance fluctuations. 

CONSERVATION

  • The Loire has been referred to as “constantly threatened with losing its status as France’s last wild river.” This viewpoint is due to its length and potential for substantial navigation, severely restricting the river conservation area. The Federation, a member of the IUCN since 1970, has been instrumental in the struggle to protect the Loire river system from development.
  • Moreover, the French government, the Loire-Brittany Water Agency, and the EPALA reached an agreement in 1986 on a flood mitigation and water storage scheme in the basin, which included the construction of four huge dams, one on the Loire and three on the Allier and Cher rivers.
  • The Loire is remarkable in this regard since Atlantic salmon can move upstream as far as 900 km (560 mi) and spawn in the upper reaches of the Allier. The French government launched this massive plan in part because overfishing and pollution had decreased the yearly migration of around 100,000 salmon to their breeding grounds in the sources of the Loire and its tributaries to only 67 salmon in 1996 on the upper Allier.

Loire River Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Loire River across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Loire River. The Loire River is the 171st-longest river in the world and the longest in France. Although its average discharge is roughly half that of the Rhône, it drains 117,054 km or more than a quarter of France’s area.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Loire River Facts
  2. Which is the Loire?
  3. Two Truths and a Lie
  4. conRIVERsion!
  5. The First Adventure
  6. River of Words!
  7. Know the Climate
  8. All For Loire
  9. Importance of the River
  10. Environmentally Aware
  11. #WDYT

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Loire River, and where is it located?

The Loire River is the longest river in France, flowing through the central part of the country. It originates in the Massif Central region and travels northward, eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of France.

What is the length of the Loire River?

The Loire River is approximately 1,012 kilometers (629 miles) long, making it the longest river entirely within France.

What are some notable cities and regions along the Loire River?

The Loire River passes through several historically significant cities and regions, including Orleans, Tours, Nantes, and the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley is renowned for its vineyards, historic châteaux (castles), and picturesque landscapes, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What is the ecological importance of the Loire River?

The Loire River and its surrounding wetlands play a vital role in the biodiversity of the region. It provides habitat for various bird species, fish, and other wildlife. Efforts have been made to protect and restore the river’s ecosystem and preserve its natural beauty.

What is the historical significance of the Loire River?

The Loire River has played a crucial role in French history. It was often used as a natural boundary and a transportation route for trade and travel. Additionally, many historic battles and events took place along its banks. The Loire Valley is also known for its Renaissance châteaux, which were built during the 15th and 16th centuries and are iconic symbols of French architecture and culture.

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Link will appear as Loire River Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 29, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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