Forest and Woodland

Forest and woodland are important and widespread habitat in the area. The forests are dominated by oak species, usually Sessile Oak Quercus petraea on more acidic soils, Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur on neutral soils, with significant  pockets of Hornbeam Carpinus betulus, Hazel Corylus avellana and Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa. Mixed in with these is some Ash Fraxinus excelsior, Beech Fagus sylvatica, Silver Birch Betula pendula and Aspen Populus tremula, as well as many smaller species such as Wild Service Tree Sorbus torminalis, Wild Cherry Prunus avium, Field Maple Acer campestre, Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus and Rowan Sorbus aucuparia. All are managed for some combination of lumber, fuel, leisure and hunting. The management approach is generally light and biodiversity friendly, but ancient trees are rare. Fortunately the trees in many forests get old enough to have dead horizontal branches, a niche that is important for many insects and their predators, such as Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Although these broadleaf deciduous forests have been managed for centuries the species mix reflects the natural order. The forests are criss-crossed by tracks with mown verges, which are a surprisingly important part of the habitat matrix. The grass on the verge is flower rich and home to many butterfly species, including a number of Fritillaries. In the old Ash stands you might be lucky enough to encounter the Rosalia Longhorn beetle, and in areas with old Oak trees you can find the Great Capricorn longhorn beetle. Both these big beetles are very rare now.

A Hornbeam parcel in the Forêt de Preuilly (perfect habitat for the edible fungus Horn of Plenty Craterellus cornucopiodes).

Black Alder Alnus glutinosa, Ash, Poplar Populus spp and Birch are more common where the soil is wet. Downy Oak Quercus pubescens replaces the bigger commercial species on hot calcareous sites. Beech is uncommon, as it is too hot and dry.

Coniferous forests dominate in the Sologne. These are plantations, primarily of Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris, but also Austrian Pine, originating in the 19th century to 'improve' the natural heathland on the sandy soil here. The understorey in these pine forests is dominated by Bell Heather .

The forests provide habitat for a number of notable species -- birds such as woodpeckers (especially Green Picus viridus, Black Dryocopus martius, Middle Spotted Dendrocopus medius and Grey-headed Picus canus); mammals such as Pine Marten Martes martes; beetles such as Great Capricorn Cerambyx cerdo and Stag Lucanus cervus; shade loving plants such as Bastard Balm Mellitus mellisophyllum; as well as hundreds of fungi.

Mixed Beech and Sessile Oak woodland in the Forest of Loches.

Abandoned Underground Limestone Quarries (Troglodyte Caves)

Throughout the Touraine there are worked out underground limestone quarries, many abandoned, but many repurposed as cellars, mushroom growing facilities, domestic dwellings or storage. In French they are known as caves trogloditiques, or more often, just caves or troglos. Note that in French, a natural cave will be referred to as a caverne. The importance of these caves from a wildlife point of view is principally that they provide hibernation sites for most of the local bat species.

They maintain a constant 12°C and around 85% Rh, which is perfect for keeping wine and hibernating bats in good condition. These caves are scattered all over the Touraine, in the limestone cliffs along the many river valleys, small and large.

Stalagmites forming on the floor of a cave in Preuilly sur Claise.

Prehistory

The Touraine and Berry has been occupied by man for tens of thousands of years. The ice didn't reach here and the climate was temperate. There was game to hunt, plenty of water, nuts and fruit for gathering and best of all, plenty of high quality flint in the limestone geology for toolmaking.

The most commonly hunted animal was the wild horse (to the north it was the reindeer, to the south a type of antelope).

The skeleton of a mammoth at the Museum of Prehistory in Le Grand Pressigny.

Big Rivers

The Touraine Loire Valley is a landscape dominated by rivers. The largest, and the only one to reach the sea, is the Loire itself, which flows east to west through the area. Feeding in to the Loire are a number of large tributaries, most of them flowing from south to north and entering the Loire on its left bank. These rivers are slow moving and tree lined.

The Vienne river in flood at Nouâtre sur Vienne.

Sadly, the water meadows alongside rivers are often converted to poplar plantations, creating a monoculture and threatening wet grassland plants such as Snakeshead Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris.

The Creuse River at Fontgombault in the Brenne.

The Creuse River at Fontgombault in the Brenne.

The Indre River at Ussé.

An old fording place on the River Vienne, on what was formerly the estate of the Chateau des Ormes. Many places did not have bridges, but only fords (Fr. gué). It was pouring with rain when this picture was taken and the river running quite high and strong

Agricultural Land

The Touraine Loire Valley is extremely rural, dominated by a mixture of agricultural, forestry and pastoral land usage. Crops such as wheat, barley, canola, sunflowers and maize are widespread on the flat or gently sloping land. Vines grow on limestone slopes, cattle are pastured on the lusher riverside meadows. Particularly along parts of the Cher Valley there are extensive market gardens and in several pockets (eg around Azay le Rideau and Veigné) there are apple and pear orchards.

Vineyards:

A well run vineyard in Vouvray. Viticulture in France uses 20% of all pesticides used in French agriculture. Fortunately the Touraine Loire Valley vineyards tend to use significantly less than other wine growing areas, but fungicides in particular are applied to vines several times a year (depending on the weather).

Even in well run vineyards, where wild vegetation is allowed to grow between the rows in an approach known as agriculture raisonnée (='intelligent agriculture', also including integrated pest management) is popular, there is no denying that vineyards are relatively low in biodiversity (but better than cereal or oilseed crops).

 

Flinty clay (Fr. argilo-siliceux) soil in Vouvray AOC, favoured for making light refreshing still and sparkling dry whites. The flint (or chert) is visible as purple or orangey brown stones. The grapes from this soil are small and not very sweet.

Chalky (Fr. argilo-calcaire) soil in Vouvray AOC, favoured for making smooth rounded and complex still white wines. The grapes from this soil will be sweeter and juicier than the flint soil above. The soil is full of fossils such as shells, sponges and corals.

Plantations:

Poplar plantations abound on low lying land prone to flooding. The wood is used for lumber, cheese and fruit boxes and biofuel. Unfortunately poplar is frequently planted on water meadow, a rapidly disappearing habitat that is home to rare plants such as Snakeshead Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris.

Pasture:

Typical bocage pasture -- small fields of lush, unimproved damp meadow, surrounded by a hedge. This is a fast disappearing habitat which is host to rare flowers such as the Snakeshead Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris.

Arable: The Centre Loire Valley Region of France is the largest cereal producer in Western Europe. The area under cereal and other arable crops is growing (mostly at the expense of pasture, hedges and copses) and arable farmers receive the most subsidies of any sector of agriculture. The main crops in the Touraine Loire Valley are wheat, barley, canola, sunflowers and maize. Also grown are millet, sorghum, peas, field beans, soy beans, lucerne (alfalfa) and flax.

View across a small valley at Panzoult. The crop is barley, one of the 3 major overwintering crops in the Touraine Loire Valley. The Downy Oak Quercus pubescens covered limestone ridge in the background is one of the most important sites for the rare orchid Red Helleborine Cephalanthera rubra.

Rural Tracks

Throughout France there is a network of variously named public rights of way. One of the most frequently encountered by walkers is the chemin rural (plural chemins ruraux). These are (usually) unpaved tracks owned and maintained by the local commune. They are almost always ancient laneways, winding through farms and today used by walkers, horse riders, hunters and farmers. Sometimes they are unmarked, but usually they have a small sign at either end with the letter R, C or V and an a number to identify them. They also frequently have the standardised walking trail symbols posted along them and appear on maps as part of the national hiking trail (randonnée) network. Even when they appear to be private farm tracks, the public is permitted to walk them. Walking them in all seasons is a great way to get to know the wildlife of this area, as they are usually long thin grasslands bordered by hedges, woodland or agricultural land, and sometimes even aquatic habitats such as streams, ditches, springs and ponds. You are unlikely to meet another person on most of them.

A chemin rural near Yzeures sur Creuse, October.

A chemin rural near Yzeures sur Creuse, October.

A notice issued by the local authority who has responsibility for maintaining this chemin rural, stapled to a trackside tree. It says that motorised vehicles are not permitted on this track between October and May ie the months when it is likely to be wet. The commune very sensibly does not want the track churned up and ruined by hunters' vans or farm machinery.

Bird watching in the Brenne down a track near la Maison du Parc.

Bird watching in the Brenne, near l'Etang vieux. This track had a sign temporarily banning agricultural vehicles because it was flooded, however that didn't stop anyone on foot who was prepared to take off their boots and slosh.

The sign on this track in the Brenne says 'Attention. Track under repair. Do not tow vehicles down it.' There was no problem (apart from ankle deep water) in walking down it.

A track through the bocage country along the River Vienne near Chinon.

A track through arable crop land and forest. This is one of my butterfly transects.

Heathland

There are two distinct types of heathland in the area covered by this website.

The first are the open hot dry sandy heaths known as landes in French. The best examples of these occur in the area between Blois and Orléans called the Sologne and also some places in the Brenne. The vegetation is low and dominated by Heather Calluna vulgaris and Bell Heather Erica cinerea. The heath occurs in small patches and much of it has been lost due to reforestation programmes from the 19th century onwards. Often the heath proper is reduced to trackside verges and little hillocks known as 'buttons'. Nowadays the heathland plants have colonised the understorey of the planted pine forests, but the trees prevent the habitat's old open nature.

As well as the heathers you will see Juniper Juniperus communis, Gorse Ulex europea, Broom Cytisus scoparus, Greenweeds Genista spp , Rockroses Halimium spp, Mountain Sandwort Arenaria montana, Sheeps-bit Jasione montana, Catch-flies Silene spp, Stonecrops Sedum spp and Autumn Squill Scilla autumnalis. Where the tracks through these heaths get waterlogged in winter you can add Annual Gypsophila Gypsophila muralis, Centauries Cicendia and Exaculum and Allseed Radiola linoides.

The second type of heathland is scrubby, dominated by Besom Heath Erica scoparia, which grows up to a couple of metres high and can be very dense. In French this type of heathland are known as brandes, and are mainly encountered in the Brenne. It can have a quite Mediterranean feel and this is where you might come across Tongue Orchid Serapias lingua or Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus in the more open parts.

Associated with the heathlands are small wet pockets of remnant peatland and acid grassland. Here you can find Whorled Caraway  Carum verticillatum, Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix, Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllifolia, Lesser Scullcap Scutellaria minor, Lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica, Pale Butterwort Pinguicula lusitanica, Marsh Gentian Gentiana pneumonanthe, Sundews Drosera spp and Heath Lobelia Lobelia urens.

A typical Sologne forest habitat, now dominated by planted Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris and Oak Quercus spp.

Here you can see how the heathland clings on in the fringes of the forest and tracks.

Roadside Banks, Verges and Ditches

As agriculture intensifies, rural roadsides are becoming more and more important for grassland flora. Many of the roads in the area are narrow, with relatively wide grassy verges or banks and deep ditches. They provide a refuge for many species which once grew in pasture or hay meadow which has now been ploughed for arable crops, or is mowed too early (because the farmer is making silage not hay now) to allow the wild plants to set seed.

Ecologists talk about flower-rich grassland a lot. It is the ideal habitat for many species of insects and should exist in vast swathes across Europe. Sadly it no longer does and its loss is one of the main reasons for severe declines in certain plant, bumble bee and butterfly species. 

These sorts of grassy banks and roadside verges are becoming an increasingly important habitat network, but for decades the local authorities have been making a rod for their own back by frequent mowing. The mowing and the fact that the clippings are not removed make for an ever increasingly fertile strip of land, with ever increasing rates of growth. Plants like nettles that thrive on the increased fertility multiply while plants like orchids that need low fertility decline. One good thing to come out of the economic recession is the willingness of those who control the purse strings to listen to the conservationists when they mention win-win approaches such as a reduction in mowing. It began with fauchage tardif (late mowing), which was a good start, but often resulted in local authorities mowing everywhere between 1 and 15 September, whether it was necessary or not. Now some authorities are displaying fauchage raisonné (intelligent mowing) signs. This is much better. These local authorities are restricting mowing at intersections to a short distance in each direction, and often not mowing at all in the autumn, but waiting to see if the frost will do their work for them. Not only does this save fuel, time and other resources, but the routine restores a more natural balance for the plant life, encouraging and protecting a wide range of wild flowers. Plus the shorter range of visibility means that drivers are more careful and drive slower.

With the pressure on natural environments from modern farming, roadsides are becoming more and more significant as repositories for certain sorts of wildflowers. Almost all of the substantial colonies of Early Purple Orchids Orchis mascula in Indre et Loire, for instance, are to be found on roadside verges. Other plants, such as the gorgeous intense blue Meadow Clary Salvia pratensis, are declining and more and more dependent on the relatively stable environment of grassy roadside banks.

It is the plants associated with prairie habitats that are most affected. Prairies are rough natural grassland, traditionally used as cattle pasture. Many of the wildflowers associated with this grassland are now rare and protected. Modern farming has either ploughed the prairie up to plant cereal crops, or 'improved' the pasture by sowing more nutritious grass mixes so they can send the stocking rate up. Either way the wildflowers are ousted to the margins. In addition, modern farmland is over fertilised as far as the native flora is concerned. Roadsides tend to remain poorer in terms of fertility, although still not natural, as car exhausts provide a lot of extra nitrogen.

Since 2008 the Conseils généraux (local authorities) of the départements (counties or shires) around us have been modifying their roadside mowing in order to encourage and protect the more delicate and vulnerable of these prairie wildflowers. Likewise, these plants need undisturbed soil, so their presence has to be taken into account when doing any heavy roadworks.

The département of Vienne has chosen 20 stretches of departmental road to erect signs warning motorists to stay off the roadsides to protect the flora. The blurb produced by the Regional Environment Observatory rather tartly advises that 'it is not worth slowing down to try to see the flowers - they are mostly very discreet and sometimes difficult to see, even if you are on foot!' They suggest that if you want to see the plants up close you have to go on an outing organised by Vienne Nature or one of their partners.

In Indre et Loire the signs announce that the Conseil général will be engaged in 'Intelligent Mowing' to preserve nature and Indre's signs say they are 'experimenting with late mowing'. The later the mowing, the less fertility from the cut grass will be returned to the soil, as it will be drier and more mature. The earlier and more frequently they cut the verges, the more lush green compost they will be returning to the soil, causing it to become eutrophic, with the result that plants like nettles dominate.

It all amounts to a campaign to educate the public about the importance of roadside vegetation as a refuge for once common and ubiquitous species, as well as a welcome means of justifying a reduced mowing regimen, thus reducing road maintenance costs. It's a simple thing that will make a big difference and everybody wins, but in garden and streetscape manicure obsessed France it is quite a big step.

The sign says 'Protect the flora on the side of the road' (by not pulling off onto the grass and driving on it or parking on it).

The sign is situated on a rural road near Coussay le Bois. There are orchids and other wildflowers growing on the verge.

The sign says 'Intelligent mowing -- Nature preserved'. This means the local authority has a policy of mowing late in the season, after everything has had a chance to seed, and only in places where road safety is compromised by rank vegetation.

A grassy rural roadside bank near Panzoult. The soil here is calcareous, part of a limestone ridge, and the bank not mown too frequently. The grass is full of Meadow Clary Salvia pratensis, Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera and other wild flowers.

Members of the Association de Botanique et de Mycologie de Sainte Maure de Touraine check out a Military Orchid Orchis militaris on a roadside bank in the Claise Valley. Military Orchids are rare, but there are two small colonies in the Claise Valley, both on roadside banks.

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Gardens

Gardens are increasingly important as habitat, particularly when a string of gardens join together, effectively becoming a single site. With the increasing loss of natural habitats, man made spaces such as gardens can provide a haven for birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians. A few simple features in your garden can benefit wildlife, and produce rewards in terms of increased biodiversity for very little effort .

A Compost Heap:

A compost heap provides habitat for the larval stages of insects (eg certain species of Soldier Fly Stratiomyidae, Rose Chafers Cetonia aurata); nesting sites for reptiles (eg Western Whip Snake Hierophis viridiflavus); and a source of nutrients for fungal mycorrhiza. The flies, beetles and fungi are all acting to break down the organic matter in the compost heap so you can recycle the nutrients back into the garden soil. The snake is simply using the heat, humidity and protection of a pile of rotting plant material as a safe and comfortable nest and hibernacle. Non-venomous snakes such as this are no threat to your safety in the garden and will help keep down the population of nut, vegetable and root munching small rodents (such as voles and mice).

A 'Wild Flower' Meadow:

This 'wild' flower meadow is at la Chatonniere. A mixture of native and non-native seeds are sown in conjunction with a cereal crop such as oats to form a flowery meadow in the summer.

The flowers include Field Poppies, Californian Poppies (not native), Annual Cornflowers and Viper's Bugloss. The choice of flowers is partly aesthetic, but also to encourage biodiversity in this organic garden.

The flowers attract pollinators and the undisturbed long vegetation allows bumble bees to nest safely. Many small creatures will be attracted to the unmown, untreated site.

Safety features:

A stick placed in a water butt allows small creatures that fall in to exit. With no easy to grip 'escape ladder' lizards for example, which often find themselves in the water butt, will get too cold to pull themselves up the plastic sides and will drown. It is a good idea to also place a square of polystyrene as a float that creatures can clamber up onto rather than have to swim and exhaust themselves.

Areas of Semi-Natural Grassland:
If your garden is large enough, or includes an area such as an orchard, one of the easiest ways of managing parts of it are as semi-natural grassland ie native grass rather than lawn, with self seeded wildflowers. It differs from the 'Wildflower Meadow' above because there is no need to augment the plants by sowing extra seed. This type of grass requires mowing just once a year, in September. By this time in the season all the wildflowers will have set seed, and what is left to mow won't be too lush. You can safely leave the mown 'grass' on the ground and it will not increase the fertility of the soil. The system saves a lot of time and effort. You keep woody species (eg self seeded trees) under control and prevent scrub developing because you cut them off annually, and you prevent many weed species (eg nettles) from dominating as the soil remains low in fertility. If you wish you can mow paths through the grass throughout the year, but you must take the clippings away. It is a good idea to stake plants that you particularly wish to protect from being stood on or mowed over in the spring and summer.

If you want to put a bit more work in to maintaining the natural grass and wildflowers and have the time, you can choose to rake up the mown grass rather than leave it lie. The resulting 'hay' can be deposited around fruit trees. The action of raking will lift matted vegetation, reduce soil fertility and create random bare areas for wild flower seeds to germinate and thrive with less competition from the grass. You can also grub out the woody 'volunteers' if you are feeling strong and energetic. It will prevent them coppicing from repeated cutting and annual growth cycles and forming trip hazards or eventually getting too thick for the mower to cope with.

You will be amazed at the variety of wildflowers that will spontaneous appear. With the wildflowers will come bees, butterflies and flower visiting beetles. Dragonflies will appreciate the longer vegetation, as will small mammals and reptiles. Having an area of semi-natural grassland is probably the single easiest and most effective way of increasing and maintaining the biodiversity of your garden.

Our orchard is mowed in the autumn, and by December orchid leaf rosettes are easily visible. They are staked to prevent people accidently standing on them or being mowed over when spring paths are created. The stakes are trimmed prunings from the fruit trees.

An  orchid leaf rosette amongst the grass and other wildflowers in the winter, carefully staked so as to mark its position and protect it from being trodden on or mowed over.

A Brash Pile:

If you have the room, a pile of brash (hedge clippings, fruit tree prunings) makes a great shelter for medium sized mammals such as hedgehogs, as well as reptiles (especially snakes) and amphibians (especially newts). The brash is all the vegetative matter that is too big or woody to compost. You may wish to burn it in the winter, but if you do so, make sure you take material off the pile and make a bonfire in a separate place on the day you plan to burn. Don't burn all of the material at once. By building a new pile for burning and not using all the material you ensure that you don't inadvertently kill creatures living under the pile.

Insect Hotels:

Insect hotels provide nesting sites for solitary bees and wasps, hibernation and resting sites for other insects, sanctuary for amphibians and reptiles. They can be made from old pallets and stocked with a range of dry grass, bamboo of different dimensions, wooden blocks with drilled holes of different dimensions, sticks and twigs, stones and terracotta shards, moss. Give it a roof with eaves to protect the entrances to holes from the weather. Place it is a sunny position facing south or east.

Dry Limestone Ridges

Dry limestone ridges known as éperons provide a habitat that is now of great interest to botanists because of their very particular assemblage of plant species, many of them rare and/or growing nowhere else. Many of the local wild orchids prefer the poor, shallow, calcareous soil of these sites.

A typical dry limestone ridge, at Chaumussay. The top is dominated by Downy Oak Quercus pubescens, the steep upper slope by a variety of bushes, including juniper Juniperus communis, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. Below that there is a terrace of rough calcareous grassland which is mowed once a year. Orchids grow where the grassland and the scrub merge.

The tops of the ridges are dominated by Downy Oak Quercus pubsescens woodland and the steep upper slopes by grassland once used as sheep pasture now being overtaken by Juniper Juniperus communis scrub. The lower slopes are usually agricultural land these days.

Flower rich vegetation on dry shallow limestone soil on the slope of a ridge near Panzoult. The plants growing here include Crested Cow-wheat Melampyrum cristatum, Red Helleborine Cephalanthera rubra and Common Birdsfoot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus.

The ridges occur along the line of rivers, not running parallel to the rivers, but sweeping in at an angle, divided by small streams which begin on the plateaux and feed the rivers. Many of these ridges have been quarried for their limestone, which is used for constructing buildings or roads, depending on the quality of the stone.

L'Eperon de Murat at Ferrière Larçon is owned and managed by the Conservatoire d'espaces Naturels de la région Centre and can be visited at any time. For an account of an orchid outing to the site see this blog post on Days on the Claise.

To read an account of a botany outing to Les Puys du Chinonais, see this blog post on Days on the Claise.

To read an account of a botany outing to a limestone ridge near Panzoult, see this blog post on Days on the Claise.

To read an account of a botany outing in the Claise Valley, see this blog post on Days on the Claise.

To read an account of an orchid outing around Chaumussay see this blog post on Days on the Claise.

Calcareous Grassland

One of the richest and most important habitat types here is calcareous grassland, particularly the sort known in French as pelouse (the equivalent of the English chalk downlands).

The soil here is more often than not made up of a high percentage of degraded limestone (calcium carbonate) and is neutral to somewhat alkaline (aka basic). Pelouse is specifically those areas of (usually) dry calcareous grassland covered with low growing (up to 25cm) sun loving, mostly herbaceous, plants, possibly grazed by sheep or goats, either currently or in the past. Ideally it is cut once a year for hay to maintain the traditional mix of plants, but increasingly it is being abandoned and scrub is allowed to take over.

The flatter calcareous land has mostly been ploughed up and is now managed for cultivated cereals and other crops. The remaining natural calcareous grassland is now mostly restricted to roadsides and the steeper slopes of limestone ridges. These sites are particularly rich in orchids, other flora and insect species. A number of species are restricted to this habitat eg Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus, Pearly Heath Coenonympha arcania, Lulworth Skipper Thymelicus acteon, Green-underside Blue Glaucopsyche alexis, Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia butterflies, Crested Cow-wheat Melampyrum cristatum, Field Cow-wheat M. arvense, Cut-leaf Selfheal Prunella laciniata, Thyme Thymus spp, Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa, Globularia Globularia vulgaris, Oxtongue Broomrape Orobanche picridis, Carduncellus Carduncellus mitissimus, Large Blue Alkanet Anchusa italica.

Notable calcareous grasslands can be found along the banks of the Vienne near its confluence with the Loire, not far from Chinon; the Cher valley between Noyers sur Cher and Selles sur Cher; the Anglin valley between Mérigny and Rives and the southern side of the Cher valley near Bléré, but there are innumerable pockets of calcareous grassland throughout the area.

Ideally calcareous grassland is managed by grazing periodically with sheep or goats, or with larger grazing animals (cattle, horses) over winter only. Sheep used specifically for managing habitat like this are known as 'flying flocks' by ecologists. Those above are Solognot sheep (a local heritage breed) grazing a small patch of grass by the Maison du Parc in the Brenne.

A small pelouse nature reserve in Angles sur l'Anglin, known as Derrière la queue du renard. This photo was taken in October, but visit in May to see 15 species of orchids in flower and the very rare Wild Paeony Paeonia mascula.

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Small Rivers

The Loire valley is in fact a river system, and includes many rivers which flow into the Loire. Feeding these tributaries in turn is a network of small rivers, such as the Claise, Aigronne and Echandon.

These small rivers tend to have a considerable fall over their length, usually about .75m per kilometre. This means that they are ideal for powering water driven mills, and as a consequence the rivers are controlled by weirs (barrages in French) to create header ponds. The flow is then diverted down a mill stream (bief in French), creating an island. The mill may be situated on the island or on the bank. Very few of these mills now function, but property owners are responsible for maintaining and operating the sluices as necessary to control flow and levels.

Mills have been sited at roughly 1km intervals on these rivers since about the 12th century, and the ecology of these small rivers and mill streams is now dependent on the controls associated with the mill workings. The many weirs make the rivers seem bigger than they actually are, and slow the flow down. Although these rivers are weired, they are rarely canalised, and the banks are well vegetated. In recent decades, the banks of these small rivers have become more and more overgrown, restricting access to the rivers, and causing difficulties in the dispersal of riparian species into the wider landscape (eg emerging dragonflies).

As part of a new river management scheme, overseen by local river technicians, the riverbank vegetation is being systematically thinned and the over abundant poplars removed. In some places weirs are being removed in order to speed up flow and ensure the water is better oxygenated. This is proving rather controversial, as the principle beneficiaries are the angling clubs, who sometimes do not see the wider ecological picture.

Water quality is generally good, although in many places water meadows have been ploughed up. This practice, and those such as intensive dairy farming mean that the water is periodically polluted by silt and agricultural runoff of one sort or another.

There are some problems with the invasive alien species Water Primrose Ludwigia spp (jussie in French). This aquatic plant rapidly covers the surface of still or slow moving water, out competing native plants, blocking out light, causing an accumulation of organic material and interfering with the breeding of fish and aquatic insects. The river technicians are dealing with this by manually weeding.

There are also problems with the invasive alien species Coypu Myocaster coypus, whose burrows undermine river banks. The animals have been declared vermin (nuisible in French) and landholders have an obligation to notify the authorities and eradicate animals.

For an overview of the management programme for the Claise River, see Une Belle Riviere, a blog post (in English) on Days on the Claise.

A millpond on the Claise River in Preuilly sur Claise. Taken from the top of the weir/sluice, the mill is down a channel to the left. I have been told that the deep slow waters here are home to a silure, an enormous non-native catfish which has eaten every other living creature in the pool including birds such as moorhens and coots. The fish is reported to be at least a metre long.

The Claise, typical of the small Tourangelle rivers, here in December swelled by winter rain and just bursting its banks. The island to the left is formed by the remains of a medieval bridge, the weir in the distance creates a mill pond for the Moulin de Chanvre ('Hemp Mill') and the millstream is the channel going off to the right. The photograph was taken from the boat ramp and this is a good spot for watching Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens and Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum in the summer.

Mosaic Landscapes

Looking up the valley of the Claise River at La Forge, between Chaumussay and Preuilly-sur-Claise. The habitat is a mosaic of long established human habitation, dry limestone slopes, unimproved pasture and hay meadow, arable crops, hedges, woodland (broadleaf and conifer), either side of the small river and its riparian corridor of vegetation.

Frost and Snow in the Touraine Loire Valley

It snows in the winter here (the winter of 2013-14 was the first winter in 30 years that was snow free). Often it's just a dusting which disappears within hours on 1 - 5 days during the winter, but in hard winters it can be 15 cm deep and remain on the ground for a fortnight. The most likely month for snow is February, but anytime between November and April is possible. Snow is la neige in French.

Heavy snow cover for here photographed at the plan d'eau (village pond) in Preuilly sur Claise. The pond is completely frozen over, with 10 - 15 cm of snow on top.

Some winters there are episodes of hoar frost, where the temperature does not go above 0°C for 10-15 days leading to icy conditions and a build up of frost on plants and the ground. The otherwise extremely mild winter of 2013-14 had a hoar frost episode like this over the first half of December.  Frost is le gel, hoarfrost is le givre in French.

Etangs (man made ponds) sometimes freeze over for a few days in the winter, small rivers rarely do and large rivers never.

Sand and Gravel

There are significant deposits of sandstone, sand and gravel throughout the Touraine Loire Valley and adjoining areas. Some are clearly associated with the big rivers, especially the Loire itself, which forms islands and banks of sand and gravel. Others are the product of the weathering of geological features known locally as puys, limestone ridges which originally had sandstone caps, such as can be found around Chinon. Much of the Sologne is sandy soil. Many of the buildings around the Maison du Parc in the Brenne are made of local sandstone.

Sand extraction near Rilly sur Vienne. The photograph is taken from on top of the limestone ridge that would once have been capped by sandstone which has now broken up and migrated down the slope to form sand beds at the base.

Sand pits such as these, especially once they have been worked out and abandoned, can provide habitat for certain species of dragonfly eg Western Clubtail Gomphus pulchellus, which likes still water with not too much vegetation. In some places Bee-eaters Merops apiaster use the sides of sand and gravel pits to dig nest holes.

Grey Hair Grass Corynephorus canescens growing amongst Cladonia lichen on dry sandy soil adjacent to the Loire River in the Véron (the triangle of land at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire). This type of grassland habitat is known as a 'grey dune' and despite the impoverished nature of the soil, the habitat is rich in biodiversity, particularly insects. Traditionally this type of grassland' was managed as common land and used for grazing. Nowadays it is mowed to maintain the balance of plants.