Loire River

"Loire" redirects here. For other uses, see Loire (disambiguation).

The Loire River is the longest river in France. It is 1,006 km long. It originates in the Massif Central. Its mouth is near Nantes by the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire gives its name to 6 French departments. For years, the Loire was very important for France's commerce. When the railway developed in the 19th century, it put an end to its importance.

Loire Léger (Occitan) Lêre (Arpitan) Liger (Breton)
The Loire in Maine-et-Loire
Map of France with the Loire highlighted
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source	Massif Central
- location	Sainte-Eulalie, Ardèche
- coordinates	44°49′48″N 4°13′20″E
- elevation	1,408 m (4,619 ft)
Mouth	Atlantic Ocean
- location	Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique
- coordinates	47°16′09″N 2°11′09″W
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	1,006 km (625 mi)

Tributaries

The Loire's tributaries include the following rivers, in order going upstream:

• Acheneau (near Le Pellerin)
• Sèvre Nantaise (in Nantes)
• Erdre (in Nantes)
• Layon (in Chalonnes-sur-Loire)
• Maine (near Angers)
• Mayenne (near Angers)
• Sarthe (near Angers)
• Loir (near Angers)
• Ernée (in Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne)
• Braye (in Pont-de-Braye)
• Aigre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir)
• Yerre (near Cloyes-sur-le-Loir)
• Conie (near Châteaudun)
• Ozanne (in Bonneval)
• Huisne (in Le Mans)
• Thouet (near Saumur)
• Dive (near Saint-Just-sur-Dive)
• Losse (near Montreuil-Bellay)
• Argenton (near Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay)
• Thouaret (near Taizé)
• Cébron (near Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet)
• Palais (near Parthenay)
• Viette (near Parthenay)
• Vienne (in Candes-Saint-Martin)
• Creuse (north of Châtellerault)
• Gartempe (in La Roche-Posay)
• Clain (in Châtellerault)
• Indre (east of Montsoreau)
• Cher (in Villandry)
• Sauldre (in Selles-sur-Cher)
• Arnon (near Vierzon)
• Yèvre (in Vierzon)
• Auron (in Bourges)
• Beuvron (in Chaumont-sur-Loire)
• Loiret (in Orléans)
• Allier (near Nevers)
• Sioule (near Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule)
• Dore (near Puy-Guillaume)
• Allagnon (near Jumeaux)
• Ance (in Monistrol-d'Allier)
• Nièvre (in Nevers)
• Acolin (near Decize)
• Aron (in Decize)
• Besbre (near Dompierre-sur-Besbre)
• Arroux (in Digoin)
• Furan (in Andrézieux-Bouthéon)

• The Loire river in ...
• 

  La Charité

• 

  Pont-canal de Briare

• 

  Gien

• 

  Sully-sur-Loire

• 

  Orléans

• 

  Meung-sur-Loire

• 

  Menars

• 

  Blois

• 

  Chaumont

• 

  Bréhémont

• 

  Candes Saint-Martin

• 

  Saumur

• 

  Chênehutte

• 

  Le Thoureil

• 

  Les Ponts-de-Cé

• 

  Saint-Nazaire