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“La Loire et ses caprices. 1982 : une mémoire”

“La Loire et ses caprices. 1982 : une mémoire”

Published on 29 November 2012 - Updated 07 December 2012
Cet article date d'il y a plus de 11 ans

The Boutons de Saule association, inhabitants and friends of Montjean and Chalonnes Islands, is organising an event reminiscing about Christmas 1982 when the Loire broke its banks ... 30 years ago today. The mayor of Chalonnes is hosting an exhibition from 23rd to 30th November 2012.

Other events have been organised for the occasion:

"Chat" by those who experienced it

Tuesday 27th November 2012 at 8.30 p.m., in the council room, Chalonnes Town Hall

Delivery of the memory-booklet to islanders who will come to collect it from the Société de la Basse-Île

Friday 30th November from 6 p.m.: film showing, slideshow, discussion, free drink

About 8 a.m. on Christmas Eve, the Montjean scale showed a water height of more than 6.45m – which looked like it would stop there. But around 10 a.m., the Loire began rising again at a rate of 2cm every hour for about three hours – finally stopping at over 6.50m around 1 p.m.

Long may the high water levels continue!

"This is what gives our environment this extra special character and such an appealing personality. It isn't ridiculous to fall for the charms of our island and decide to live in this floodplain! But this does call for personal investment matching what we get out of it. Living on the island is a responsibility that we must assume with regard to past generations, other inhabitants today and future generations. We must remember all of this, not in a straight-faced, gloomy sort of way – quite the reverse – this will be an ode to the enjoyable way of life here!"

Extract from the Feuille de Saule issue no.36 – October 2012