Loire 2013: River Thouet floods

Château de Brézé in the round  

We headed over to La Dive Bouteille tasting in Château de Brézé – disappointingly warm and comfortable after all the warnings that on previous years it has been colder in the cellars than the North Pole. Also from what I tasted in the Loire there were considerably fewer completely off the wall wines than I expected. This was also true at the Renaissance tasting on the Saturday.  

On the way back from Brézé to Angers we tried to do the cut through from Chacé to the Doué road but this was impossible as the Thouet has flooded and the road is well under water.

 Flood sign at Chacé on the Rue du Thouet (D205)

No way through!

Newtonmore: aftermath of the flood

Sandbags directing stream into drain in Old Glen Road, Newtonmore

This morning the water was still streaming down Old Glen Road but with sand bags preventing it reaching the Main Street and threatening to flood houses as it had been last night. Further up the road there were signs of where the stream had gouged out part of the road exposing wires.

 Water pouring down Old Glen Road (above and below) 

Water streaming through wood and on to the road

Upstream looking down towards Main Street

 Damage to the road 

Flooding in Newtonmore: 4th January 2012

Flood at the junction of Old Glen Road and Newtonmore's Main Street: late 4.1.12

Showing one of the threatened buildings

A combination of waterlogged land, heavy rain yesterday and melting snow caused flooding in the centre of Newtonmore last night. Water poured off the hills turning parts of Old Glen Road into a river, flooding the main street and threatening to enter some houses on the main street. Part of this street was blocked off by a fire engine and the police. Council workers dammed Old Glen Road with sandbags diverting the water into a large drain, while the fire brigade pumped water from the main street and away from the houses.

Eastern end of Main Street (above and below)

Firemen pumping out the water (above and below)

Sandbagged door to the left

Photos: floods and anticipating 2009

1st June 2008: flood at Chisseaux, just upstream from Château de Chenonceau in the Cher Valley

Less dramatic than the recent floods in the upper Loire, this is
a reminder that the Loire and its tributaries do flood quite frequently.
Unlike the Loire the Cher is canalised with a series of locks.

The start of another year: a bud in a vineyard at
Brissac-Quincé, Anjou: early April 2007

Coming soon final report on our visits of 16th August – tasting with Jacky Blot plus a further Montlouis profile and some from Jasnières and Anjou

Loire floods

The Loire has broken its banks in the upper Loire due to very heavy rain recently, especially in the departments of the Allier, Nièvre and further south in the Massif Central. Here are some videos of the flood from the Dailymotion site:

At Brives-Charensac – near Le Puy-en-Velay (2nd November)

At Decize (4th November)

I gather that the Loire is now in flood near Pouilly and Sancerre.

Loire at Saint-Satur (near Sancerre) in quieter days:

June 2006

Some people, who only see the Loire in summer, fondly imagine that it is always a sleepy, leisurely river. This is far from the reality as the Loire is Europe’s last untamed, wild river and is prone to floods. Even when quiet and sleepy it should be treated with respect for it is infamous for its dangerous currents.