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).

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.

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.

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).