Loire River

"Loire" redirects here. For other uses, see Loire (disambiguation).

The Loire River is the longest river in France. It is 1,006 km long. It originates in the Massif Central. Its mouth is near Nantes by the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire gives its name to 6 French departments. For years, the Loire was very important for France's commerce. When the railway developed in the 19th century, it put an end to its importance.

Loire River
Mouth	Atlantic Ocean
Length	1,006 km (625 mi)
Mouth elevation	0 m (0 ft)

Tributaries

The Loire's tributaries include the following rivers, in order going upstream:

• Acheneau (near Le Pellerin)
• Sèvre Nantaise (in Nantes)
• Erdre (in Nantes)
• Layon (in Chalonnes-sur-Loire)
• Maine (near Angers)
• Mayenne (near Angers)
• Sarthe (near Angers)
• Loir (near Angers)
• Ernée (in Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne)
• Braye (in Pont-de-Braye)
• Aigre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir)
• Yerre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir)
• Conie (near Châteaudun)
• Ozanne (in Bonneval)
• Huisne (in Le Mans)
• Thouet (near Saumur)
• Dive (near Saint-Just-sur-Dive)
• Losse (near Montreuil-Bellay)
• Argenton (near Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay)
• Thouaret (near Taizé)
• Cébron (near Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet)
• Palais (near Parthenay)
• Viette (near Parthenay)
• Vienne (in Candes-Saint-Martin)
• Creuse (north of Châtellerault)
• Gartempe (in La Roche-Posay)
• Clain (in Châtellerault)
• Indre (east of Montsoreau)
• Cher (in Villandry)
• Sauldre (in Selles-sur-Cher)
• Arnon (near Vierzon)
• Yèvre (in Vierzon)
• Auron (in Bourges)
• Beuvron (in Chaumont-sur-Loire)
• Loiret (in Orléans)
• Allier (near Nevers)
• Sioule (near Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule)
• Dore (near Puy-Guillaume)
• Allagnon (near Jumeaux)
• Ance (in Monistrol-d'Allier)
• Nièvre (in Nevers)
• Acolin (near Decize)
• Aron (in Decize)
• Besbre (near Dompierre-sur-Besbre)
• Arroux (in Digoin)
• Furan (in Andrézieux-Bouthéon)

• The Loire river in ...
• Loire bei La Charite-112-2008-gje.jpg

  La Charité

• Pont-canal de Briare-132-2008-gje.jpg

  Pont-canal de Briare

• Château de Gien-112-Loire-2008-gje.jpg

  Gien

• Loire bei Sully-sur-Loire-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Sully-sur-Loire

• Loire river DSC02485.jpg

  Orléans

• Meung-sur-Loire-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Meung-sur-Loire

• Château de Menars-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Menars

• Blois-128-Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lomer-2008-gje.jpg

  Blois

• Loire bei Chaumont-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Chaumont

• Loire bei Bréhémont-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Bréhémont

• Candes Saint-Martin-112-Loire-2008-gje.jpg

  Candes Saint-Martin

• Château de Saumur-116-Stadt-2008-gje.jpg

  Saumur

• Loire bei Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault-110-2008-gje.jpg

  Chênehutte

• Le Thoureil

• Loire bei Les Ponts-de-Cé-112-2008-gje.jpg

  Les Ponts-de-Cé

• Saint-Nazaire le pont puis le chantier naval.JPG

  Saint-Nazaire

Loire River Media

• 

  propre photo

• Le Port de Roanne (1).jpg

  The river port of Roanne

• 15 Bec d'allier (Vue de cuffy 18).jpg

  Confluence of the Allier and the Loire

• Loire river tribs map.png

  Map of the Loire basin showing the major tributaries

• FR-58-Decize32.JPG

  Decize - Vieille Loire

• Bridge-connecting-nantes-and-isle.jpg

  The Loire spanned at Nantes

• Loire à Bréhémont2.JPG

  Loire at Bréhémont, Indre-et-Loire

• Prunus domestica italica flowers.jpg

  Prunus domestica subsp. italica flowers.

• Anguilla anguilla.jpg

  European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

• BombinaVariegataJuv.jpg

  Ventral side of a Yellow-bellied Toad (Bombina variegata). This juvenile specimen has been turned around by the author to demonstrate the coloration.