Our Blois Chambord region | Blois Chambord – Loire Valley Tourist Office

Each of the three main rivers in the Loir-et-Cher département (41) constitutes a large landscape ensemble that can only be understood, by definition, by being integrated into the overall course of the waterway. It is these valleys that offer the most spectacular or “picturesque” landscapes in the department, opening up views thanks to the more vigorous relief, crystallizing part of the built heritage – castles, towns, villages and troglodytic constructions – offering sites that are often remarkable, and benefiting from varied ecological environments, where wetlands in the valley bottoms and dry hillside environments coexist;

In all, there are eight major landscapes in the Loir-et-Cher département: Sologne, Beauce, Perche, the confines of Touraine, the confines of Berry, the Loire Valley, the Loir Valley and the Cher Valley.

The Blois Chambord-Val de Loire destination covers 90 communes encompassing three of these landscapes: Loire Valley (Blésois), Beauce (northern Loire) and Sologne (southern Loire). Plus the astonishing Vallée de la Cisse to the north-west of Blois.

The Loire, a cultural and natural treasure over 1,000 km

Europe’s longest river in its wild state. The Val de Loire has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. In Loir-et-Cher, from Lestiou to Rilly sur Loire, the river offers a remarkable diversity of landscapes and cultures to be experienced in all seasons. Organized trips by canoe, traditional boat, rowing boat and along the banks by bike, on foot or on horseback take place within a precise framework. For some of the other leisure activities to be enjoyed freely around the Loire, it’s a good idea to be informed at the outset so that you can observe certain non-binding rules. The following information on prevention and/or prohibition will help you to enjoy your leisure activities in the best possible conditions.

Fishing in the Loire

Fishing in the Loire is authorized along its entire length, from Saint-Laurent-Nouan to Rilly-sur-Loire. The angler must be in possession of a valid fishing licence. Salmon fishing is totally forbidden on the Loire. All fishing techniques are accessible.
Blow-fishing and feeder-tip fishing for all cyprinids (white fish).
Carp fishing by day on the entire river and by night on certain stretches of the Loire (information available from the Federation).
Fishing for carnivorous fish: Perch, Pike-perch, Pike, Catfish… by boat or from the shore, using all techniques (livebait, artificial lures, spinning, etc.).

What fish are on your line?
Pike-perch, sheatfish, pike, chub, roach, bream, crappie, common carp, gudgeon and mullet.

Sailing the Loire

Navigation is at the user’s own risk. A prefectoral decree dated July 31, 1975 regulates this navigation. While motorboats are authorized at limited speed, jet skis are prohibited. Boats may be launched anywhere on the public waterways. However, users must be careful not to damage the environment, and must respect all other river users (fishermen, water sports enthusiasts, etc.). However, the various bridges and the often low water level of the Loire make navigation difficult over several kilometers. This is why we cannot offer cruises lasting several days.

Bathing in the Loire

Under the prefectoral decree of July 10, 1970, bathing is prohibited in the Loire for safety reasons throughout the entire department.
the entire department. In the meantime, there are sandy beaches on the Loire for sunbathing and panoramic viewpoints such as the one on the left bank between Blois and Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire, where you can admire the Château de Ménars. The harbors are also pleasant places to stroll. Take the left bank of the Loire from the Port de la Creusille in Blois, and you’ll be able to take magnificent photos of the city’s panorama.

And if you feel like it, get on your bike and set off on one of the Châteaux à Vélo itineraries to discover the natural bathing area of the Chambord region.

Protected and remarkable animal species

Many species live around the river, and are protected and remarkable. During your leisure activities, respect for all species of fauna is essential. Considered a migratory corridor, the Loire is home to migratory birds that use the sandy islands to make a long pause in their journey. Terns and Least Gravelots arrive in April and nest on the sandbanks, before returning to spend the winter on the West African coast. Some of these islands are now protected so as not to interfere with breeding or damage the flora.

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The main birds of note

Tern
Heron
Cormorant (wintering species, arriving in mid-August and leaving in March to nest in Nordic countries)
Little Egret
Osprey (nests in Sologne forest)
Crested Lapwing
Kingfisher
Bank Swallow

Rodents

Beaver
Amphibian vole
Muskrat
Coypu (considered a pest)

SOLOGNE LANDSCAPES

GRANDE SOLOGNE AND WINE-GROWING SOLOGNE

In the south-east, the Sologne of forests and ponds stretches mainly across the département, but also extends into the south of the Loiret and the north-west of the Cher, covering most of the area between Blois, Orléans and Bourges. The Sologne forest gives way to oak, birch and fern woods, larch and maritime pines, as well as traces of 19th-century forests planted with chestnut trees. The area’s distinctive character is largely due to the nature of its soil, which is often acidic, sometimes wet, sometimes dry. The extraordinarily dense network of ponds constitutes the largest area of wetlands of international interest in continental Europe.

In Sologne, the vast stretches of woodland dotted with a myriad of discreet ponds make up the Grande Sologne, which covers most of the area; but towards the west, from Bracieux to Mur-de-Sologne, the forest gradually opens up, giving way to cultivated plots interspersed with woods, where vines leave their mark on the landscape, interwoven with market garden plots or small-scale livestock farming: another Solognot landscape emerges, an original one: this is wine-growing Sologne.

THE BEAUCE AND CISSE VALLEYS

In the Beauce region, the area between Blois and the Marchenoir forest is traditionally referred to as the “Beauce Blésoise”: its landscape features are similar to those of the “Grande Beauce” or “Beauce Orléanaise”, which extends northwards beyond the Marchenoir forest.

On the other hand, the Cisse valley, which rises discreetly from an insignificant fold in the open, flat Beauceron expanses, forms a distinctive landscape from Champigny-en-Beauce on the right bank and Averdon on the left bank, when its hollowed-out relief expands and land use diversifies, right up to its outlet in the axis of the Loire valley to the west of the Blois forest; similarly, to the north, the rolling hem formed by the various tributary valleys of the Loir gives the Beauce a completely different face: this transition between the Loir valley and the Beauce is marked by a sharp relief and numerous wooded areas.