Loire Valley
| The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
 Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
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| Location | France |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv |
| Reference | 933 |
| UNESCO region | Central France |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
The Loire Valley (French: Vallée de la Loire, pronounced: [va.le də la lwaːʁ]), spanning 280 kilometres (170 mi), is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France, primarily within the administrative region named Centre-Val de Loire. The area of the Loire Valley comprises about 800 square kilometres (310 sq mi). It is referred to as the Cradle of the French and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards (such as cherries), and artichoke, and asparagus fields, which line the banks of the river. Notable for its historic towns, architecture, and wines, the valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period. In 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley to its list of World Heritage Sites.
The valley includes historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours.
The climate is favorable most of the year, the river often acting as a line of demarcation in France's weather between the northern climate and the southern. The river has a significant effect on the mesoclimate of the region, adding a few degrees of temperature. The climate can be cool with springtime frost while wine harvest months may have rain. Summers are hot; however, influences from the Atlantic moderate the temperature with breezes.
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