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.

France: The future of wine on the internet?

The legal threat from French courts to the mention of wine on the internet:

www.le-vin-sur-internet.fr/