The Loire: A Cultural HistoryGustave Flaubert called the Loire "the most French of French rivers." It is the longest river in France and the most varied in scenery and moods. Beginning as a mountain stream in the Ardèche, it issues, 630 miles later, into the Atlantic beyond the great modern port of St.-Nazaire. Small and rapid at first, the Loire runs through dark volcanic hills; further downstream it becomes the broad, slower river of sandy islands, poplars, and châteaux and of the vibrant cities of Orléans, Blois, Tours, and Nantes (the former capital of Brittany). It is lined with vineyards, forests, medieval fortresses, and flamboyant Renaissance palaces. It is fed by countless tributaries, from rivulets to mighty rivers like the Allier, Cher, and Vienne, each with their own remarkable sights. Martin Garrett follows the Loire's course through cities and countryside, tracing its dramatic history from the days of feuding warlords and barons to the battles of 1940. Looking at the wide range of literature, art, and architecture created along its banks, he considers works from Du Bellay and Balzac to Virginia Woolf, from Renaissance palace builders to Le Corbusier. |
Contents
STRUGGLING WITH THE ROCKS FROM THE SOURCE TO ROANNE | 1 |
THE GREEN PROVINCES FROM DIGOIN TO SANCERRE | 19 |
CORN AND COMBAT FROM BRIARE TO THE BEAUCE | 47 |
MANY FAIR NOBLEMENS HOUSES FROM THE SOLOGNE TO CHAUMONTSURLOIRE | 73 |
FOUR CHÂTEAUX IN TOURAINE FROM AMBOISE TO VOUVRAY | 97 |
BALZACS LOIRE FROM TOURS TO LANGEAIS | 113 |
GIANTS AND PRINCES FROM USSÉ TO MONTSOREAU | 137 |
SAND TUFA AND SLATE FROM SAUMUR TO MAUVESSURLOIRE | 155 |
LOIRE MARITIME FROM NANTES TO THE ATLANTIC | 181 |
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abbey Allier Amboise Angers Anjou Azay-le-Rideau Balzac beautiful Beuvron Birotteau Blois blue boats Bourges Breton bridge Brittany building built Canal Carnutes castle cathedral Chambord chapel Charles château Chaumont Chenonceau Cher Chinon church Clamecy colours Croisic curé dark died Digoin Duke early estuary famous Félix forest Forêt France François French gardens Gargantua Gilles de Rais glass Goldring Gracq Henry James Hôtel Indre Jean Julien Gracq king La Charité-sur-Loire later Le Croisic less lived Loire Loire-Atlantique looks Louis mainly Meaulnes medieval miles monk Musée museum Nantes Nevers nineteenth century novel Orléans paintings palace Paris perhaps poet Pornic Rabelais René Revolution river Roanne Roman Romanesque royal Saché Sancerre Saumur says scenes seems soldier Sologne soon St.-Nazaire stone survive tomb Touraine Tours towers town travelled tributaries Ussé Vienne village vineyards walls wine woman wood young