Welcome to Combleux!

It was on February 4, 1829 that the current geographical limits of our village were set. Previously, more than half of the commune’s territory was located south of the Loire: the farm and houses of the Island (currently in Saint Denis en Val) depended on Combleux; they belonged to Messire Legrand de Melleray, lord of Bretauche, bursar of the finances of the Duke of Orléans. History reports that a path “led from Bionne and Combleux without crossing either canal or river”.

In 2020, the size of the commune was 103 hectares.

Its population has also changed over the years. From 172 inhabitants in 1793 (similar figure in 1936), Combleux had 470 inhabitants in 1851, 260 in 1881, 283 in 1968. In the 2017 census, our village had 498 inhabitants.

The rhythm of the Loire, its floods and low waters, have always accompanied the life of our village. Furthermore, let us remember that the Orléans Canal was drilled at the end of the 17th century. Combleux thus became a real “outer port” for Orléans, a point of convergence for the Loire and canal navies. In 1851, the neighborhood of the sailors and the old port (“La Patache”) brought together 94 inhabitants of the village, or 20% of its population!

The extension of the canal to Orléans (5,135 km), mentioned in 1788 by the Duke of Orléans, saw its completion on the eve of the First World War… to be inaugurated in 1921! It opened new perspectives for the development of our village.

Considered remarkable for its various classifications, the Combleux site is also included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

By following the boatman’s walk, admire our landscapes and discover the soul of our village at the confluence of what makes it so special: the waters of the Loire and the canal, the rich land and the associated sociology.

The Suave, built in 1930, is part of the first generation of metal self-propelled boats. Until then, Berrichons, called Berry flutes, had the same dimensions but were made of wood. The boatman’s family occupied the rear of the boat and the donkey was sheltered in the central cabin. With the first self-propelled boat, the organisation on board changed profoundly. The engine occupies the entire rear of the boat and the family settles in the cabin, in place of the donkey, which has become useless.

The Suave traveled the canals of France to supply Paris and central France until 1962. From this date, the history of the Suave was chaotic, passing from hand to hand, finally ending up in Saint-Jean-de-Losnes where it was bought in 1990 by the Orléans Canal Management Syndicate. After being restored for the first time in Donnery, it was entrusted to Chemins de l’eau in 2016. After being completely restored, it made its maiden voyage between Combleux and Fay-aux-Loges in March 2019.

Today, the Suave is at the service of municipalities and associations to participate in festivals organized on the canal between Combleux and Fay-aux-Loges and, perhaps, soon on the entire canal when it is restored.

Until 1692, when the Orléans canal was put into service, goods coming from the Loire to Paris passed through the Briare canal, inaugurated in 1642. From then on, competition was fierce between the two canals to supply the capital with cereals, fruits and vegetables, wine, construction materials and firewood. Annual traffic was estimated, in the 18th century, at 1,500 boats heading towards Paris, while only 500 boats returned, the rest being “torn up” (destroyed).

In 1921, at the request of the Orléans Chamber of Commerce, the canal was extended from Combleux to Orléans in order to facilitate the passage from the Loire to the canal but it was too late to revive traffic which declined in the middle of the 19th century. This is the time when the railway begins to take over the transport of light and/or perishable goods. With the appearance of steamboats, the Loire also faced competition from the Seine, until then difficult to navigate by sail or towboat due to its meandering route between the sea and the capital.

In 1954, the Orléans Canal was decommissioned and management was entrusted to fishermen’s associations who walled up the locks in order to maintain water levels. For several decades, the Orléans Canal has been the subject of several restoration plans which have now become essential for the fight against flooding and the tourist development of the communities it passes through.

The Orléans Canal is one of the oldest canals with a dividing length, meaning that it connects two watersheds. The divide reach (highest altitude of the canal at 124 m) with a length of 18.9 km, separates the Seine slope (27.9 km) from the Loire slope (31.8 km).

Originally, the Orléans canal was just a small canal built between Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudris and Buges, between 1676 and 1678, by Robert Mahieu in order to ensure the transport of wood from the forest of Orleans.

The dimensions of the Orléans Canal locks vary.  That of Combleux, periodically silting up, was rebuilt twice: in 1834 to the dimensions of 30 m x 4.5 m and in 1877 to reach 38.50 m x 5.20 m (Freycinet template).

This structure, invented in the 15th century, allows boats to overcome height differences and make waterways navigable. It is made up of a chamber between two sluice gates which allow the water level to vary. This assembly forms a hydraulic structure called a lock.

Characteristics of the Patache lock
Chamber length: 40 m
Chamber width: 6 m
Upstream side: 97
Downstream side: 92
Bay side: 98

History

Between 1681 and 1687 : Construction of the Combleux section and the Patache lock.

1692 : Inauguration of the Combleux section.
1793 : Classification of the canal as a national asset.
1834 : Reconstruction of the lock to dimensions of 30 x 4.5 m.
1841 : Reconstruction of the lock keeper’s house.
1877 : New enlargement of the lock to dimensions of 38.5 x 5.2 m to allow larger boats (barges) to pass through without damaging the structure.
From 1908 to 1921 : Extension work on the canal connecting the Orléans section to the Combleux section and construction of the Embouchure lock.

Lock-keeper’s house:

Established close to a lock, for the guard and his family, the lock house is generally placed on the edge of the platform, halfway between the two heads of the lock, to facilitate surveillance.

The distance plaque (in km) on the facade of the old lock-keeper’s house shows the distance that bargemen had to travel on the Loire to reach the various ports in the towns along the river.

Flooding

A flood is a sharp increase in the flow or height of water in a watercourse. This overflow causes flooding of areas at varying distances from the banks, thus defining a flood zone.

The table opposite shows the number of times the Loire has flooded at Orléans.
The most recent floods occurred in December 2003 and November 2008. The Loire reached levels of 3.75m and 2.46m at Orléans respectively.

The lull in the frequency of major floods in the Loire since the beginning of the 20th century remains a one-off phenomenon, due to a series of particularly mild years. The same pattern was seen in the 13th and 14th centuries, giving the population a false sense of security.

The Flood Risk Prevention Plan is a regulatory document which aims to protect a territory, its population and its property, by regulating land use:

It constitutes a public utility easement annexed to the town planning documents.
It defines rules limiting the urbanisation of flood-prone areas, and gives recommendations to people to make their homes or facilities less vulnerable.

• 1st cube

1st side: photo of the river

Combleux is located in the northernmost part of the Loire. This situation allows it to welcome many species of birds in search of favorable environments for replenishing the energy reserves essential to continue their long migratory journey.

The Loire, one of the last non canalised or non-managed rivers in Europe, presents an exceptional diversity of environments shaped by often temperamental river dynamics.
Finally, the Loire has always been a migratory corridor for many species of both flora and fauna.
These few factors partly explain this exceptional, but fragile, biodiversity present on the river in the Orléans region.

2nd side: The Mallard Duck
Size : 50-60cm / Wingspan: 81-95 cm

Common nester on the Loire
Food: mainly plants and seeds but also sometimes small fish, molluscs, insects

3rd side: The European Kingfisher Size : 17-19.5cm
Breeding on the Loire with numbers varying greatly from one year to the next
Food: small fish but also insects and aquatic crustaceans

• 2nd cube

4th side: The osprey Size: 52-60cm / Wingspan: 152-167 cm
Breeder in the Orléans forest – Migratory in spring and autumn on the Loire
Food: fish caught on the water surface spotted after hovering
Species classified as endangered on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region

1st side: The Yellow-legged Gull Size: 52-58cm / Wingspan: 120-140 cm
Some nesting pairs on the Loire
Food: fish, bird chicks, frequents landfill sites
Species classified as vulnerable on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region

2nd side : The Mediterranean Gull Size: 37-40cm / Wingspan: 94-102 cm / The Black-headed Gull Size: 35-39cm / Wingspan: 86-99 cm
These two species nest in sometimes large colonies on the upper part of the Loire islands, often in herbaceous vegetation (Sandillon bird island).
Food: terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, fish, mollusks, etc.
The Black-headed Gull is classified as endangered and the Black-headed Gull as near threatened on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

3rd side :  The Common Tern Size: 34-37cm / Wingspan: 70-80 cm / The Little Tern Size: 21-25cm Wingspan: 41-47 cm
Common and little terns both nest in colonies on the shores of the Loire
They catch small fish by diving into the water
Both species are classified near threatened on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

4th side : The Little Plover : Size: 15.5-18cm / Wingspan: 32-35 cm
Breeds on the shores of the Loire
Food: insects, spiders, small crustaceans, worms

• 3rd cube

1st side : The Gray Heron Size: 84-102cm / Wingspan: 155-175 cm
Nests in colonies in the wooded areas of the banks and islands of the Loire (Jargeau, Orléans)
Food: fish, frogs, crayfish in the water but also voles on land

2nd side : The Great Egret Size: 85-100cm / Wingspan : 145-170 cm
Migratory and wintering increasingly common on the Loire
Food: fish, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, voles

3rd side : The Little Egret Size: 55-65cm / Wingspan 88-106 cm
Very common all year round on the river, but only a few birds nest in the woods on the banks of the Loire.
Food: fish, frogs, aquatic invertebrates
Species classified near threatened on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region

4th side : The Great Cormorant Size: 77-94cm / Wingspan: 121-149 cm
Common migrant and winterer on the Loire
Food: fish and aquatic invertebrates
Species classified near threatened on the Red List of breeding birds in the Centre-Val de Loire region

• 4th cube

1st side : The amphibious vole Head + body: 16 to 23 cm / Tail: 10 to 14 cm / Weight: 140 to 300 g
A difficult species to observe because it comes out at nightfall, but present in small numbers on the Loire
Food: mainly herbivorous
Species classified as vulnerable on the Red List of mammals in the Centre-Val de Loire region

2nd side : The Coypu Head + body: 56 to 65 cm / Tail: 38 to 42 cm / Weight: 5 to 10 kg
Species from South America, introduced for its fur, very common in the Loire thanks to early sexual maturity and high annual production of young. Fears harsh winters.
Food: mainly herbivorous

3rd side : The European Beaver Head + body: 90 to 120 cm / Tail: 25 to 40 cm / Weight: 12 to 32 kg
Species reintroduced on the Loire in the early 1970s. Family territories of a few kilometers spread across the entire Loire
Food: consumes the leaves and bark of trees with a marked preference for salicaceae (Willows and Poplars)
Species classified as vulnerable on the Red List of mammals in the Centre-Val de Loire region

4th side : The Otter Head + body: 60 to 90 cm / Tail: 35 to 45 cm / Weight: 5 to 12 kg
After disappearing from our region in the 1970s, the Otter recolonized the Loire basin from the Massif-Central. Present in small numbers on the river and its tributaries.
Food: fish, amphibians (frogs and toads), crayfish, invertebrates.
Species classified endangered on the Red List of mammals in the Centre-Val de Loire region

• 5th cube

1st side : Atlantic salmon : Size: up to 1 meter for a weight of more than 10 kg
Loire salmon are born from November to January in the spawning grounds of Haut-Allier. The young, called smolt, spend 1 to 2 years on the river before reaching the sea to stay and feed there for 1 to 3 years then return to the river where it was born.
Salmon fishing in the Loire has been prohibited since 1994 but the numerous obstacles to its migration prevents the numbers from being restocked.
Species classified endangered on the Red List of fish in the Centre-Val de Loire region

2nd side : American Crayfish : Size: up to 12 cm
Recognisable by its brown spots on the abdomen, the American crayfish is a North American species introduced to France in 1911 in the Cher.
Classified as harmful, it now faces competition from other American species (California crayfish and Louisiana crayfish). Still the most widespread species in the Loire.

3rd side : The viperine Snake : Size: maximum 77 cm for females and 64 cm for males.
The viperine snake is completely harmless but often wrongly destroyed because it is confused with the asp viper. It is now in sharp decline in the Center Val de Loire region.
Species classified as vulnerable on the Red List of Reptiles in the Centre-Val de Loire region

4th side : The Beautiful Demoiselle : Size: 45 to 48 mm
The male has metallic cobalt blue wings while in the female they are greenish to transparent ivory. Very common on the Loire, this dragonfly tirelessly travels through the vegetation of the river banks, delicately landing at the tips of the sedge leaves.

Description of the 3 cubes (6-sided) : the environments and flora of the Loire

1st cube : White water and large helophytes

1st face : introduction
On the Loire, as elsewhere, plant species are generally linked to a particular habitat which develops as a function of a number of factors: the hydrodynamics of the river (erosion, sedimentation, transport of alluvial deposits), the proximity of the alluvial water table, sunshine and rainfall, geology, etc.
All these factors shape rich and varied environments, making the Loire an unparalleled reservoir of biodiversity. These habitats are often distributed in strips parallel to the river, showing their great dependence on the presence of water.
Fixed floating community with aquatic buttercups

This vegetation is not very common in Combleux. Several species of ranunculus can be found here, depending on the speed of the current and the quality of the water.

Submerged fixed community with myriophylls and pondweeds

Vegetation present in stagnant or slow-moving water, made up of numerous species (pondweeds, water milfoils, ceratophylls, naiads) often including exotic species (Elodea).
Large sedge vegetation

Known as Magnocariaca, Sedges line the banks of the minor river bed, often forming large clumps.

Riverbank Sedge / Acute Sedge / Phalaridae The Baldingera

The Baldingera is a large grass. It tolerates periods of high water levels. It is often found above the Sedge belt.

Reed bed (Phragmitaie) / The Reed

The Reed (or Phragmite) is a grass that can grow up to 3 m high. It forms a type of vegetation that is uncommon on the river, occupying more or less humid environments.

2nd cube : Beach vegetation
1st side : Primrose willow

Large-flowered primrose willow and false peplid primrose willow are among the invasive exotic species that often cover considerable areas and threaten the plant species of the low-lying riverbanks.

2nd side : Pioneer community with small stumps

Among the mud and fine sand, annual species with a more or less sparse spreading habit develop. These species, which appear at the end of summer, occupy the lowest topographical level and require permanent humidity. If they dry out, they are replaced by species from the goosefoot community.

Yellow seed false pimpernel
Brown Flat Sedge

3rd side Pioneer goosefoot community

This community, which is less dense than the previous ones, develops at a higher level on sands that can dry out to a greater or lesser extent during the summer.
The species are varied: various lamb’s-quarters, shore Corrigiola, Eragrostis, Yellow Nutsedge, Witch grass, etc.

Bidens pioneer community

Generally located on the periphery of the annual pioneer species, this community is made up of larger plants.
These are large annual species that are particularly fond of nitrate-rich soil and water.

Houndstooth Panic Grass / The Leaning Bident / The Black-fruited Bident

5th face Herbaceous scrub on the upper banks of the minor bed
A highly diverse environment, herbaceous wasteland is made up of species that are often spectacular, such as Jimsonweed, a violent poison, soapwort, whose rhizomes contain the saponin used to make soap, and mugwort, native to North America, whose pollen grains are highly allergenic.

Jimsonweed
Large-fruited Lampourde
Soapwort

6th face Tansy / Mugwort Ambrosia / Evening primrose / White Alysson

The lateral spillway in the Loire at Combleux is a structure which allows floods to be reduced and water above a certain level to be evacuated into the Loire. In the event of flooding, it is possible to open the slats as well as the gate of the Combleux spillway. This was carried out during the flood of May 2008.

The spillway bridge is lined with wooden slats, to prevent the donkeys hauling the barges from slipping; the weir serves as an outlet for the canal in the event of flooding of the Cens river, which partly supplies it.

Beneath the weir, in summer, a fishing trip in the shade of the willows; we can see the old village bakery behind.

The Combleux footbridge, probably built at the beginning of the 20th century, is a metal arch bridge whose extreme parts, close to the abutments, form a staircase. It was rebuilt in 1990 using reconstituted welded profiles and reworked masonry.
To the south, the charming alleyway of Patache leads to the Loire and the “broken window pane” house. (L’carreau cassé)
To the north, the footbridge joins the village via rue de la passerelle (Footbridge Street) where, in the past, the municipal public services building was located: the town hall and the school.

At the eastern corner of the towpath, there was once an old Combleux café (formerly the Town Hall café – created by the Sauvadet family) which overlooked the wash house.
Adjoining this business was the Dessaux vinegar factory depot. This is where the carts came to store the barrels next to the canal, whilst waiting for the onward journey to Paris.

In its original configuration, the washhouse was accessible with a wheelbarrow. The ferryman, in his barge… The current footbridge did not exist then!
The house located to the north of the street bears the marks of the great floods of the 19th century.

La rue de Froidure retains typical elements of the old village streets (absence of pavements, flowerbeds and plants in front of certain properties, etc.). Formerly lined with wine estates wine growers and mariners kept it alive.

At number 15, the Red Press property was built in the 18th century; after the revolution, it belonged to Elie Vinzon, mayor of Orléans. One can also see the pedimented porch, a narrative of the work of the grape harvesters.

The neighboring property (Auteuil – at number 13) is undoubtedly from the same period, with its elegant entrance and double flight stairway.

To the left of the porch of number 11, is a stone sculpture of a swan attached to an anchor – the « Swan of the Cross ». This sculpture is found facing the north end of the street, at the boundary of the farm on rue des Moulins (Mill Street), overlooking the sundial.

The Orléans vineyards have undergone many ups and downs over the centuries. They prospered from the 6th century and many kings made it their favorite drink, but it was in the 16th century that it experienced its most prosperous period. Rabelais chose Orléans grape varieties to plant the vineyard surrounding the Dive Bouteille temple.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw quantity replace quality in order to satisfy the ever-increasing demand of the capital. In 1810, 348,075 barrels containing 228 litres each, or nearly 80 million litres of wine, travelled by canal to Paris.
In 1825, vines occupied 30% of the territory northeast of Orléans, or more than 3000 ha. The second half of the 19th century saw production collapse due to demographic growth requiring ever more land for market gardening and vegetable crops. Then phylloxera destroyed practically all of the vineyards.
In the 20th century, a few vines remained and little by little the wine growers worked to improve the quality of the wines. This effort was rewarded in 1951 by obtaining the VDQS Vin de l’Orléanais label. Further recognition arrived in 2006 with the creation of two AOCs, “Orléans” for whites, rosé and reds as well as “Orléans-Cléry” for reds made from the Cabernet Franc grape variety.
The small Grazons vineyard, planted in Combleux, in 201x, bears witness to a 20th century where wine making complemented market gardening and orchards along the canal and the Loire, before urbanisation gradually eroded the cultivated land.

The cemetery: Having become too small and suffered from the major flood of 1825, the cemetery surrounding the church was moved to higher ground in 1829, as was the custom in all villages. It was enlarged in 1923 and, more recently, a landscaped cemetery was added.

In the oldest part, there are some remarkable tombs: the tomb of Empire lieutenant-colonel Louis Charles Biset, whose plaque is unfortunately very faded, and several mariners’ tombs, including that of Louis Robineau and Catherine Cordier, which stands out for its cross with branches extended by an anchor. Another remarkable grave is that of Jean Vallée, surmounted by a mourning figure sculpted by Ludovic Bruneau, a Combleusian and relative of the deceased.

Louis -Charles Biset :
Born in 1787, Louis Charles Biset was conscripted in 1807: he joined the Tirailleurs-chasseurs regiment of the Imperial Guard and was then posted to the Fusiliers-chasseurs regiment on 23 August 1809. He fought in Spain, where he was wounded on 25 May 1811. He then took part in the Russian campaign, during which he was wounded again. He died in 1870.

Captain L C Biset, soldier of the Old Guard, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, medallist of Saint Helena, flag bearer of the last remnants of the First Empire.
Grave: obelisk bearing the insignia of the Legion of Honour, against the wall on the right.

The Little Poinville site in the commune of Combleux hosted the main administrative site of the french company IBM for 40 years (from 1966 to 2006).
This large computer company had purchased, at the beginning of the 1960s, two large adjoining properties, one in Combleux, Little Poinville, the other Sainte Marie located in the commune of Saint Jean de Braye, thus bringing together a site totaling 25 ha.

At the time the installation was cited as a fine example of decentralisation.
The site, which took the name of Saint Marie, welcomed more than 1,400 people in its most active period.
Important buildings were built there by a renowned Parisian architect.

If we go back in time, this site was the property of Count André Gaspard Perfect de Bizemont (1752 -1837), equerry of the King, but also engraver and painter, great art lover, and founder of the Orléans Museum (1825 ).

The property included an 18th century manor house, which had a lot of charm, with a main courtyard and a belvedere terrace overlooking the Loire.

It was bought in 1891 by Gabriel Leplâtre, notary in Epernay, but with family ties close to Orléans (Patay), to make it his summer residence. Then he came to settle there during the First World War.

Again used as a family refuge during the Second World War, it was then abandoned for several years.
Whilst it was planned to be occupied by a large municipal subdivision, it was sold by the descendants of the Leplâtre family to the IBM France Company.
At the time of its splendor, it was a very beautiful property, opening onto the Loire, with a magnificent view of the great curve of the river and the towers of Orléans Cathedral standing out against the horizon.

After having escaped a second destructive project in the 1970s, an expressway starting from Orléans and passing over the canals right-of-way, then moving away from the Loire and traversing the site, a new use must now be sought after for this site of primary interest for the Orléans Metropolis, a green space within the urbanisation of the metropolis, with a tourist and sporting vocation oriented towards nautical activities developed on the Loire and the canal, cycling « The Loire by bike », walking, running… and some homes or services…

The Calvary used to stand on the former ‘village square or Place du Calvaire’, which disappeared when the canal was dug between Combleux and Orléans. This was formed by the current triangle of the cherry tree, the bridge and the lock from the church to the Arbre de la Liberté. It was in this square that the main public meetings were held, as well as, and above all, the Saint Symphorien festival (at the end of August), bringing together Combleusians and visitors from surrounding villages. The calvary was moved in 1910 and rebuilt on the site of the old cemetery near the church, on the south side.

Calvary of the Bionne and Maingault Bridge

Marking the boundary between Combleux and Saint Jean de Braye, the Maingault bridge spans the Bionne, which flowed directly into the Loire before the canal was extended to Orléans.
Originally made of wood, its presence is attested to at the very beginning of the 20th century; it has undergone numerous repairs. The most recent was carried out in masonry by Mr Emile Person, a mason from Combleux, in the 1950s.The Calvaire de la Bionne, one of the 4 ‘Croix de Chemin’ (wayside crosses) erected along the municipal boundaries, dates from the 19th century. It also marks the northernmost point of the Loire.
Standing on a base of carved stone, it has not withstood the test of time (the wood of the cross has rotted away, the Christ has become detached, the base has become disjointed, etc.).
The Christ (100kg) and the stones of the base were preserved at Madame Lemaire’s home, enabling the town council to undertake the restoration work in 2005, as it stands today.

The flow of boats and the presence of boatmen encouraged the installation of businesses and “food establishments” all along the canal. At some, you could bring your basket and your lunch (cutlery was provided), little fried fish (like whitebait) and fish stew were on the menus at others.
Before the construction of the new “branch” of the canal which separated it from its park, the Closerie property, initially a guesthouse, opened its porch facing the Loire.

Historically a place for family walks or a digestive stroll after eating, this bank of the canal has seen many walkers pass by. Among these:

• Henri Gaudier, renowned sculptor from Saint-Jean-de-Braye (1891-1915), whose artistic muse, Sophie Brzeska (1872-1925), took residence at La Chaumière.
• Charles Péguy (1873-1914), a native of Orléans, wrote about Boigny and Combleux
• Maurice Genevoix, a neighbor from Saint-Denis de l’Hôtel

1st side
Combleux, ideally located at the confluence of the Orléans Canal and the Loire, was long considered the advanced port of Orléans. With the traffic generated by the digging of the Orléans Canal in 1692, the small village of winegrowers and farmers gradually transformed into a Mecca for the Loire navy. For several centuries, Combleux saw heavily loaded boats of all kinds coming down from the Massif Central towards the lower Loire, but also large barges going up the river then the canal towards the capital to deliver materials and foodstuffs.
Some barges left the Loire to continue their journey to Paris while others unloaded their cargoes in Combleux so that they were reloaded onto canal barges. This incessant traffic of several thousand boats each year profoundly transformed the village and developed a local economy entirely focused on the river and the canal.
Today, Combleux only finds the population level of this prosperous era but the professions linked to river activity have disappeared; bargemen, haulers, carpenters, tailors, tavern keepers…
2nd side
The barrel (or Futereau): Flat-bottomed boat of 7 to 9 m generally comprising two lifts. It’s the boat that does everything on the river: marking the channel, fishing with a seine, ferry to cross the river, unloading barrel. It is handled with a pole (blunder), a scull or a striker.
3rd side
The barge : The largest of the Loire boats, built in oak and equipped with a 20 m mast. The barge can reach 35 m, 5 m wide and 1.5 m high, allowing it to transport 80 tons. Over the centuries and depending on the region, the barge has evolved considerably. Originally, equipped with a lift at the front and a rudder to direct it at the rear, it was transformed, in the lower Loire, in the middle of the 19th century into a “modern barge” with a bow, and a rudder fitted to a straight transom at the rear.
From Roanne to Nantes, the barge ensures the “descent” and “ascent” transportation of all materials and foodstuffs.
4th side
The train of boats : Sailing « upstream », carried by the galerne wind (north-west), the train of boats is made up of barges and boats attached in single file. The configurations vary but in general we find at the front the mother barge, then the tow barge and the rear boat, followed by a certain number heavily loaded. The leading boats are veiled, which allows them, by successively lowering and raising their masts, to pass under bridges by a skillful and dangerous maneuver.

2nd cube
1st side
Toues: generic term for an Oak or Pine boat, with a flat bottom, of a size between the barrel and the barge (9 to 14 m), whose design and use vary greatly over time and regions.
2nd side
The fisherman’s toue : Also with a cabin, in the last century, it is the boat used by the fishermen of the Loire with large barrier nets on the river in order to capture salmon and allis shad during their return to the spawning grounds of the Haute-Loire or Haut-Allier
3rd side
The sand pit : Can reach 15 m with an average width of 2.5 m and a depth of 0.80 m, the sand pit has a capacity of around ten tons. Using a long shovel called a “monkey tail”, the sand shooter harvests sand, gravel and jars from the bed of the Loire.
4th side
The steam and paddle boat: In 1822, the first steamboat, “the Loire”, appeared on the Loire. From this date, many companies (American Company, Riverains, Accélérés, Hirondelles de rivière, etc.) will compete strongly for the rapid transport of passengers on the river. With a length of 25 to 30 m and a width of around 5 m, the steamboats can carry, depending on the model, up to 350 passengers in previously unknown comfort. The explosion of Vulcan No.1 in 1837 led to the replacement of high-pressure boilers with low pressure boilers and gave birth to the “Unexplosables”. The railway will spell the end of steamboats in 1950.
All of this information is taken from the work “Liger – The language of the Loire, encyclopedic dictionary by Jean-Raoul Vuillermet.