Erdre
Encyclopedia
The Erdre is a river
in western France
, right tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Maine-et-Loire
département, near La Pouëze
. It flows through the départements Maine-et-Loire
and Loire-Atlantique
. It flows into the river Loire in the city Nantes
. Other towns on the Erdre, going downstream, are Candé
, Riaillé
, Nort-sur-Erdre
and Sucé-sur-Erdre
.
The Erdre is unusual in that it widens out as one travels up-river. At its lowest point, where it joins the Loire in Nantes, its former course is now a main road and shopping area, the Cours des Cinquante Otages. The Erdre now has to reach the Loire via the St Felix canal tunnel under Rue Henri IV, emerging near the main railway station.
However travel some 15 kilometres up stream and the Erdre has widened from a few hundred metres to nearly a kilometre wide, at the Plaine de Mazeroles, near Sucé sur Erdre. Broad marshlands partially reclaimed make the river even wider. Above here, the Nantes-Brest canal goes off to the west, and we have another small town, Nort sur Erdre. Above here, the Erdre has many small streams crossing the low hills of this part of north west France. There are pretty villages but don't come here looking for spectacular scenery. Good walking country, especially if you like to follow the many disused railways, mainly abandoned complete with rusting rail lines, a relic to France's very own Beeching cuts.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in western France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, right tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
département, near La Pouëze
La Pouëze
La Pouëze is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-References:...
. It flows through the départements Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
and Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
. It flows into the river Loire in the city Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. Other towns on the Erdre, going downstream, are Candé
Candé
Candé is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-History:In the 11th century the village became an important military site for Anjou under baron Rorgon de Candé, at Fort-Castle of Candé....
, Riaillé
Riaillé
Riaillé is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-See also:*Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department...
, Nort-sur-Erdre
Nort-sur-Erdre
Nort-sur-Erdre is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-See also:*Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department...
and Sucé-sur-Erdre
Sucé-sur-Erdre
Sucé-sur-Erdre is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.Its name comes from the Latin sulcus, meaning "furrow", and the Celtic erdam, meaning "small river"....
.
The Erdre is unusual in that it widens out as one travels up-river. At its lowest point, where it joins the Loire in Nantes, its former course is now a main road and shopping area, the Cours des Cinquante Otages. The Erdre now has to reach the Loire via the St Felix canal tunnel under Rue Henri IV, emerging near the main railway station.
However travel some 15 kilometres up stream and the Erdre has widened from a few hundred metres to nearly a kilometre wide, at the Plaine de Mazeroles, near Sucé sur Erdre. Broad marshlands partially reclaimed make the river even wider. Above here, the Nantes-Brest canal goes off to the west, and we have another small town, Nort sur Erdre. Above here, the Erdre has many small streams crossing the low hills of this part of north west France. There are pretty villages but don't come here looking for spectacular scenery. Good walking country, especially if you like to follow the many disused railways, mainly abandoned complete with rusting rail lines, a relic to France's very own Beeching cuts.