The majestic Loire River is the longest river in France at a length of 1,013 kilometres and an area of 117,000km². It spans more than a fifth of France’s land area and its fertile banks are lined with vineyards and Loire Valley chateaux.
The main tributaries to the Loire River include the Allier, Cher, Indre, Vienne and the Sèvre Nantaise rivers on the left bank and the Maine, Nièvre and the Erdre rivers on its right bank. In 2000 the central part of the Loire Valley was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.
The Loire River is normally gentle and calm, but the occasional storm can cause it to overflow its banks. As a result, leeves were built to protect the land and surrounding buildings, with some of the leeves being centuries old.
During the French Renaissance, the Kings of France built their luxurious chateaux around the Loire River Valley to complement the artistic renewal that had begun in Italy. Each chateau and estate was designed to be more magnificent than the others.
Royalty and nobility resided in the chateaux lining the Loire River until King Henri IV moved the court to Paris. As a result, the chateaux have been preserved in almost the same condition in which they are built and their beauty and extravagance can be seen today.