Loire Valley Loire Valley The Loire Valley (, ), spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France, in both the administrative regions Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. The area of the Loire Valley comprises about . It is referred to as the "Cradle of the French" and the "Garden of France" due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards (such as cherries), and artichoke, and asparagus fields, which line the banks of the river. Notable for its historic towns, architecture, and wines, the valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period.
French frigate Loire (1796) killed and five wounded, the latter hauled down her colours. She proved to be French privateer "Blonde", of Bordeaux, mounting 30 guns, eight-pounders on the main deck, with a crew of 240 men under François Aregnaudeau; the same ship that, about five months earlier, had captured the . "Loire" took the prize in tow to Plymouth where the prisoners were disembarked on 31 August. On 2 June 1805 boats from "Loire" captured the Spanish privateer felucca "Esperanza" alias "San Pedro" in the Bay of Camarinas, east of Cape Finisterre. She was armed with three eighteen-pounders, four four-pounder brass swivels and