At the Loire's mercy. Living in Anjou valley in the 18th and 19th centuries

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Anjou valley was renowned for its fertile ground, particularly in the west, between Saumur and Angers. Its geography made it ideal for farming: harvests were exported to Nantes on vessels sailing along the Loire, and sweeping natural meadows provided fodder for the herds of livestock. But did the valley's local residents lead prosperous lives for all that?

There were so many of them! And the Loire posed such a threat during high water periods, despite the protection provided by dykes, that the River Authion often flooded the heart of the valley. The locals' relationship with the rivers flowing through their land was therefore a complicated one. They adapted to their surroundings while seeking to transform it, and in doing so they generated a flooding risk that was as longstanding as it was natural. 

For almost two centuries, they played a part in, witnessed or were victims of all manner of events – floods, shortages, revolutions – as well as a whole host of lasting upheavals: the industrial revolution, structural unemployment, collapse of the boating and weaving trades, widespread illiteracy, the development of hemp, abolition of common pastures, etc. Like us, they hailed and supported certain changes, while other undesirable changes were fought hard against. The lives of French citizens down the ages have been anything but stable, unlike the idea that is often upheld. 

On the web:

http://loire.histoire.free.fr/