The Loire in Blois

For more than two millennia, the Loire valley has been the scene of harmonious interactions between humans and their environment.

That is the analysis of UNESCO, which in 2000 had it inscribed in the World Heritage List, thereby recognizing its exceptional, universal value.

In addition to the Loire and the natural landscapes of its environs, the perimeter singled out by UNESCO includes the historic centers of several major towns such as Blois, which is effectively bisected by the river.

For further information, consult the “Mission Val de Loire” website (in English or French)

The banks of the Loire in Blois

As a historic axis of commerce and communication, the Loire has fashioned the territory. Built on the two banks of the river, Blois offers immersive views of its whimsical currents, its majestic reflections and its profuse ecosystem with its rodents, birds, scaly reptiles, fish, amphibians and insects. For further information, visit the Loire Observatory (website in French) and the Museum.

Left bank, the port known as la Creusille has been developed as a park and a recreational area. It hosts a riverside café with spectacles and theatrical presentations during the summer (“guinguette”). The port is also a departure point for hiking and biking along the river.

Right bank, the Loire shores have also been developed in view of providing spaces for promenades

The Loire, stage for the Blois fireworks celebrating the French national holiday

To discover the Loire in a different light, do not miss the July 13^th pyrotechnics. Set off at the La Creusille port, at nightfall the fireworks display is reflected on the Loire, regaling one and all with a grandiose spectacle.

The Loire observatory as a tool for understanding the premier river in France

Since 1992, the Loire observatory (in French) has been fostering environmental awareness and promoting the Loire valley by organizing events, workshops and exhibitions.

The observatory (observatoire, in French) proposes nature tourism, school visits and events propitious to exchange and sharing. Its main site, located on the right bank of the Loire, in the Mées park, offers a breathtaking view of the river, an interactive exhibition, a documentation center, a gift shop, a picnic area and a bike rental service. On the left bank, its navigation hub features four traditional boats moored to the port known as La Creusille, for visitors’ circuits in the heart of Blois.

The associating managing the observatory has been accredited by the French ministries of ecology, youth and sports, and national education. It is registered in the reference framework for high-quality environmental education of the Centre-Val de Loire region, is an adherent to the regional federation of Loire river houses and is closely associated with the Val de Loire mission.

• On the banks of the Loire
• Situated on the “Loire à vélo” itinerary
• Five minutes from the center of Blois
• On-site parking
• Accessible to persons with reduced mobility