France: River Loire by kayak
Thinking about the Loire you imagine castles. But seen from the kayak first of all you experience nature. Europe's last wild river is studded with islands and some river branches are so narrow you can forget you are navigating the largest stream of France. You experience a sense of jungle, not of the tropics but of Western Europe as it once has been. You meet beavers and thousands of terns that are looking for a spot to lay eggs and breed. You glide under a delightfully scenting canopy of acacia's when suddenly it opens up and, indeed, a chateau rises above the shore. Finally a whole town moves into view, like the royal city of Blois. Or Saumur, the capital of Loire sparkling wines.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10772] Medieval La Charité-sur-Loire is best viewed from the defensive wall at its northern perimeter. Upstream of the town's 15th century bridge a group of canoes is getting ready to brave the turbulent waters under its arches, while another has just passed it. On the left the town is dominated by the spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame. Photo Paul Smit.
Bridge of La Charité-sur-Loire.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10774] A canoe braves the turbulent waters downstream of the medieval bridge in La Charité-sur-Loire. In former days the navigable arches were barred by chains and the ships passing the bridge had to pay toll. The spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame towers above the medieval quarter of the town. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Kayak approaching the Bridge of La Charité-sur-Loire.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10776] A kayaker approaches the medieval bridge in La Charité-sur-Loire. In former days the navigable arches were barred by chains and the ships passing the bridge had to pay toll. The spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame towers above the medieval quarter of the town. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Kayak in Loire natural reserve.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10778] Grabbing a dead tree trunk, a kayaker tries to determine his position in a secondary branch of the Loire near Pouilly-sur-Loire. Here the Loire meanders through the "Réserve Naturelle Val de Loire", a stretch of 19 km downstream of La Charité-sur-Loire where the river has preserved much of its natural character. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10780] A kayaker is pulling his vessel on the sandy bank of a dead branch of the Loire, near Tracy-sur-Loire. Here the Loire meanders through the "Reserve Naturelle Val de Loire", a stretch of 19 km downstream of La Charité-sur-Loire where the river has preserved much of its natural character. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Portage at Belleville power plant.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10782] Near the nuclear power plant at Belleville-sur-Loire the Loire tumbles down a weir and kayakers are obliged to make use of the portage. Yellow Irises soften up an industrial environment dominated by giant cooling towers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10784] The brick-built Castle of Anne de Beaujeu (ca. 1500) dominates the town of Gien. Its Loire bridge originally dates from the Middle Ages but was reconstructed in the 18th century. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10786] Advancing towards Gien by kayak on the Loire one is struck by the brick-built Castle of Anne de Beaujeu (ca. 1500) which dominates the town. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10788] Watch it cows! A kayaker is surprised by nibbling livestock when he tries to moor on the Loire bank a few kilometers downstream of Sully-sur-Loire. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10790] At Sigloy, four kilometers upstream of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, kayakers can marvel at the reconstructed traditional flatboats ('chalands') of "Les passeurs de Loire", an organization that offers trips on the Loire. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10792] At Sigloy, four kilometers upstream of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, kayakers can marvel at the reconstructed traditional flatboats ('chalands') of "Les passeurs de Loire", an organization that offers trips on the Loire. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10794] Just downstream of the Loire bridge at Jargeau kayakers are surprised by moored traditional flatboats. These 'chalands' were the principal transport boats on the Loire from medieval times till the end of the 19th century. They used the current of the river to travel downstream and hoisted their sails in the prevailing western winds to travel upstream. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10796] Just downstream of the Loire bridge at Jargeau kayakers are surprised by moored traditional flatboats. These 'chalands' were the principal transport boats on the Loire from medieval times till the end of the 19th century. They used the current of the river to travel downstream and hoisted their sails in the prevailing western winds to travel upstream. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10773] Medieval La Charité-sur-Loire is best viewed from the defensive wall at its northern perimeter. The town is dominated by the spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame. Photo Paul Smit.
Bridge of La Charité-sur-Loire.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10775] A heron is prowling for fish in the turbulent waters downstream of the medieval bridge in La Charité-sur-Loire. The spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame towers above the medieval quarter of the town. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Kayak approaching the Bridge of La Charité-sur-Loire.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10777] A kayaker approaches the medieval bridge in La Charité-sur-Loire. In former days the navigable arches were barred by chains and the ships passing the bridge had to pay toll. The spire of the Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame towers above the medieval quarter of the town. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Kayak in Loire natural reserve.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10779] In a secondary branch of the Loire near Pouilly-sur-Loire a kayaker pauses to have a drink. Here the Loire meanders through the "Réserve Naturelle Val de Loire", a stretch of 19 km downstream of La Charité-sur-Loire where the river has preserved much of its natural character. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Misplaced directions at Belleville power plant.
[FRANCE.BOURGOGNE 10781] At Belleville-sur-Loire kayakers are advised to take a river branch on the right in order to avoid tumbling down the weir of the nuclear power plant, two kilometers downstream. Alas nowadays this branch is silted up and innavigable. Instead one has to follow the main branch for a while before turning into another branch that leads to the portage. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10783] A kayaker approaches the sandy bank of the Loire at Gien, a town that is dominated by the brick-built Castle of Anne de Beaujeu (ca. 1500). The Loire bridge originally dates from the Middle Ages but was reconstructed in the 18th century. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
’Traditional flatboat at Gien.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10785] Upstream of the old bridge at Gien a kayaker moors his vessel near a traditional flatboat ('chaland') to have a closer look. Moored beside the flatboat is another traditional vessel: the 'futreau'. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10787] Watch it cows! A kayaker is surprised by nibbling livestock when he tries to moor on the Loire bank a few kilometers downstream of Sully-sur-Loire. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10789] At Sigloy, four kilometers upstream of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, kayakers can marvel at the reconstructed traditional flatboats ('chalands') of "Les passeurs de Loire", an organization that offers trips on the Loire. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10791] At Sigloy, four kilometers upstream of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, kayakers can marvel at the reconstructed traditional flatboats ('chalands') of "Les passeurs de Loire", an organization that offers trips on the Loire. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10793] Just downstream of the Loire bridge at Jargeau kayakers are surprised by moored traditional flatboats. These 'chalands' were the principal transport boats on the Loire from medieval times till the end of the 19th century. They used the current of the river to travel downstream and hoisted their sails in the prevailing western winds to travel upstream. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE.LOIRE 10795] Just downstream of the Loire bridge at Jargeau kayakers are surprised by moored traditional flatboats. These 'chalands' were the principal transport boats on the Loire from medieval times till the end of the 19th century. They used the current of the river to travel downstream and hoisted their sails in the prevailing western winds to travel upstream. Photo Mick Palarczyk.