Читать книгу The Loire Cycle Route. From the source in the Massif Central to the Atlantic coast онлайн

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The Loire is a fleuve sauvage (untamed river), the level of water fluctuating greatly between seasons. In summer large sandbanks appear, while in winter riverside meadows are flooded. The river is fed by a number of important tributaries including the Allier, Cher, Indre and Vienne (all of which rise in the Massif Central) and the Loir, Sarthe and Maine which drain the hills of Normandy.

Loire Gorge natural park seen from Chambles (Stage 5)

Wildlife

While a number of small mammals (including rabbits, hares, red squirrels, voles, water rats and weasels) may be seen scuttling across the track, this is not an area inhabited by wild animals – with two exceptions. Large forests close to the river were once reserved for royal hunting parties seeking bears, wolves, wild boar and deer. Bears and wolves were wiped out long ago, but deer and boar are still present.

There is a wide range of birdlife. White swans, geese and many varieties of ducks inhabit the river and its banks. Cruising above, raptors, particularly buzzards and kites, are frequently seen hunting small mammals. Birds that live by fishing include cormorants, noticeable when perched on rocks with their wings spread out to dry, and grey herons, which can be seen standing in shallow water waiting to strike or stalking purposefully along the banks. Egrets are commonly seen in fields where they often pick fleas off cattle. Seasonal sandbanks and islands in the Loire attract millions of migratory birds during summer months and some have become protected reserves.