Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-24
THE VALLEY OF THE LOIRE.
A Region of Beautiful Landscapes and Pictur-
esQue Chateaus.

esque Chateaus.
| The Loire is a river of remarkable
qualities, writes a correspondent of the
| San Francisco Chronicle. 1t has its beau
ties and its defects, and is rarely men
tened in France in terms of unmixed
compliment. It's length is considered
something to be proud of. 1t is nearly
seven hundred miles long, and includes
IN its basin nearly one-fourth of the area
of France. It's course is eccentric, since
it rises scarcely more than hundred
miles from Marseilles, and, after winding
its devious way north, northwest, and
southwest, empties into the bay of Blscay,
well down the western coast. Receiving
countless streams of greater or less mag
nlticance, and draining an area which IN
cludes the slopes of numerous lofty
mountain ranges, it has vast volume of
water to dispose of in the lower part of
its course, especially when the SHOWS melt
In May and June. Such are the ravages
wrought by its foundations that they are
considered almost equal to the benefits it
confers. Great efforts have been made at
different epochs to keep it within bounds.
Some of its levees are of great antiquity,
dating back to Charlemagne. Others,
like those in the vicinity of Saumur,
were built not more than twenty or thirty
years ago. They are usually placed at
some distance from the natural banks, to
allow room for the spread of the water,
and as there are numerous creeks each of
these has to be leyeed back to some dis
lance from the main stream. In this way
the system has become very complicated.
presenting often, at a distance from the
river, series of lofty bikes, protecting
fields, orchards and villages that during
the season of flood are far below the sur
face of the water. They are broad, sub
stantial, grassy banks of earth, along
which extend railroads and highways.
The commerce carried on by means of the
Loire is insignificant. Theoretically, it is
navigable to st. Etienne, near Lyons, but
its broad placid surface is rarely whiten-
ed by sails or disturbed by steamers even
a hundred miles from its mouth, though
it presents such an appearance of dignity
and commercial utility. The railroads
have taken its trade, leaving it to fer
tilize or ravage the country according to
its moods, and to look picturesque
and charming as it flows through series
of softest, greenest, and most peaceful
landscapes to be seen in Europe, which,
from their apparent fertility and great
beauty, seem to justly merit the title of
garden of France. The picturesque
quality of the region is greatly heighten-
ed by the numerous chateaus that crown
the gentle eminences on either side the
valley. Many of these are of great an
tiquity, but having been more or less re-
stored at different epochs, they please
the eye while they refresh the magma
tion. Everyone except those which the
prosperous commerce of individuals has
int re CT 70,
over this ground have passed in success
sion Roman and Saracen, Frank and
Norman, the hosts of Charlemagne and
those of England the armise of Richelieu
and Condo, the levies of the revolution
and those of the Vendean leaders. At the
chateau of COlOmbiere Henry Plantagenet
signed the peace with Philip Augustus
after the rebellion of his sons left him
without resource. That of Cling Mars be-
longed to Henri of Cling Mars, favOrite
of Louis Kill, who lost his head for con-
spring against Richelieu. The chateau
of Langeals belonged to Pierre la Brosse,
barber of Louis TX. and favorite of Philip
the Bold. Usse is the property of the
family of La Rochei famous in
the Vendean wars. At Chinon Jeanne
dare, full of enthusiasm, first met the
feeble Charles VII. and decided him to
undertake the relief of Orleans, besieged
by the English PlessislaTours, near the
city of Tours, was the abode Of Louis XI.
and rendered famous by Scott in "Quen-
tin Outward" 1t has entirely disappear
ed, giving place to modern structures.
The wife and children of the king we're
meanwhile living at the Chateau dam
boise, further south, where stirring events
occurred during the wars of the Hugue-
nots. Here Charles VII. was born, and
here Frances I. passed part of his youth.
To this castle Francis II. was taken to
save him from Protestant conspiracy
which contemplated his capture and the
killing of the Guises, who were at that
moment his guardians. The plan failed
and the whole region was devastated by
the wars that followed. At Dampiere,
three miles from Saumur, is the little
chateau where Marguerite of Anjou and
of England ended her unhappy existence,
though Scott, with more than his usual
historical inaccuracy, makes her, in his
"Anne of Geierstein," die at AK in Pro-
vence.
G. W. as Rural Fireman.
L