History of La Loire

The much larger Celtic settlements were established between 500 BC and 250 AD along the banks of the Loire river and determined the location of some of the major towns you see today.

Viking invasions in the late 9th century caused chaos across the Loire, destroying many important relics and killing many important religious figures who had been the founders of Christianity in France.

Henry II of England was originally from the Loire region; the son of Geoffroy Plantagenêt, Count of Anjou, and Empress Matilda. His claim to the throne came through his mother's side - she was the daughter of Henry I of England and granddaughter of William the Conqueror. With significant effort to gain his rights to the throne, he was crowned King in 1154 following the death of King Stephen.

During the Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453) between England and France, the French King, Charles VII, fled Paris for the Loire and thus began a period of royal presence in the Valley. This continued even after the English had been forced out of France. Joan of Arc was a significant contributor to the removal of the English in the Loire region.

The royal status given to the region resulted in the building of some of the most sumptuous châteaux in France, many of which were royal residences or residences for royal families or mistresses.

When the Bourbons began to rule France in the late 16th century, royal and political power moved firmly away from the region and back to Paris. However, the Loire remained a spot to getaway from the city. The first wines were exported from the region in the 17th century and the slave trade flourished, bringing further wealth to merchants.

In the 19th century, the region received its first railway which dramatically altered trade and, in some places, badly damaged quaint little villages. The region industrialised and its towns and cities grew.

The formation of the French Socialist and Communist parties from a single entity happened following the Congrès de Tours in 1920, influencing the politics that ensued over the next half a century. The region was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War and damaged by bombings from both sides.

Today the region is not a single entity, but falls into a number of French administrative divisions. Much of the region along the Loire river has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the first river in the world to receive such categorisation.

Despite urbanisation, it retains its charm and character, small town feel and royal grandeur.