What does this number measure?
The Loire rises at Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc in the Massif Central, then reaches the Atlantic through its estuary near Saint-Nazaire. Its basin crosses volcanic regions, plains and landscapes of sandbanks. The dimension follows its conventional course, including its meanders.
This length follows the course adopted by the catalogue. Maps show simplified, sometimes partial courses; an independent bar represents the documented length, distinct from straight-line distance.
Compare the stated dimensions
The comparison uses the number in each fact sheet: altitude, height, diameter, length or distance, depending on the reference. Two values in metres do not necessarily describe the same property.
Source and limitations
Rounded length depending on the chosen route; meanders and channels change.
Top-down view of a simplified geographical route of the Loire, based on the available mapped segments. The reference drawing may be partial, and river systems may combine several branches. The river’s width and the water and bank textures are interpreted; this is not a satellite photograph. Only the lower bar represents the documented reference length; the width of the map above does not measure that length. Route: Natural Earth, public domain. Licence: Public domain.