"La Loire, Agent géologique", a BRGM publication

The geology of the Loire basin

Written by renowned French or foreign specialists (researchers, scientists, economists, etc.), the Géosciences journal seeks to reach a much broader readership than simply the scientific community. It is written for all those taking action as regards the challenges of sustainable development. 

The ambition of this issue is to shed fresh light on the landscapes of the Loire Valley and the characteristics of its catchment area by showing the role of geological processes. 

Only the stretch of the Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire in the Centre region and Chalonnes-sur-Loire in the Pays de la Loire is recognised for its outstanding universal value. That said, it is the whole of the basin and its tributaries which are the focus of attention here, due to the extraordinary diversity of its historical, industrial and cultural natural heritage.   

Contents

To tell you everything there is to know about the Loire, the 11 articles featuring in this issue cover the diverse aspects of this vast area of France for which Earth Sciences play a decisive role, particularly the landscapes, cultivation areas and remarkable sites, raw materials and constructions, the diverse energy sources and, of course, surface and ground water: 

• Geology of the Loire basin
• The Loire: from the quarry to the monument
• What do the vestiges of the old bridges over the Loire teach us?
• The underground Loire: karstic passageways in the Orléans valley
• The Loire, a carbonate factory
• Geochemical signatures of the Loire
• Wetlands, a remarkable heritage
• The Loire up against climate change
• The energy advantages of the Loire basin
• The mineral wealth of the Loire
• Geographical table of the Loire landscapes

To get hold of the "Géosciences" journal: 

BRGM Editions: 

www.brgm.fr/editions.jsp