PAYS DE LA LOIRE - Geography and history
Fronting the Atlantic and to the west the Paris Basin, and bounding the eastern part of Brittany, the Loire region covers an area of 32 100 km2. Made up of five départements (Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée) with origins in four former provinces (Anjou, Maine, Brittany and Poitou), it will be able to achieve, only gradually, true cultural, economic and social cohesion.
Drained by the valleys of the Loire system, the region consists mainly of the ancient hills of the Armorican massif. The Mont des Avaloirs rises to 417 m in northeast Mayenne. The landscape, consisting mainly of bocage (a mixture of woodland and pasture), has undergone a profound change as a result of land consolidation. In 2000 72% of the territory was devoted to agriculture and only 10% was wooded. The east of the region opens onto the alluvial plateaux of the Paris Basin, whilst the littoral alternates between rocky coastline and long beaches of fine sand.
The drainage system is rich and varied and consists mainly of the Loire and its tributaries.
The climate is of the sub-Atlantic type, with mild temperatures throughout the year. The coastal region enjoys an exceptionally high number of sunshine hours, whilst the north and east of the region benefit rather less from the influence of the Atlantic.
The size of the region in terms of territory, population, employment, and wealth created accounts for 1% of the 211 regions of the European Union.
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