• Indre-et-Loire [37]
  The Département of Indre-et-Loire, which is known as the ‘Garden of France’, was created from the better part of the historic province of Touraine together with pieces taken from the old provinces of Anjou and Orléanais.  Indre-et-Loire is in the western part of the Centre Region.  The département is bounded by the Département of Loir-et-Cher to the northeast, Indre to the east, Vienne to the southwest, Maine-et-Loire to the west and Sarthe to the northwest.  
  
  Indre-et-Loire is known for the contrast between its somewhat wooded, but mostly barren uplands and its fertile valleys.  There are four navigable rivers:  The Cher, the Creuse, the Loire and the Vienne.  The Loire, which flows through Tours, traverses the département and joins with the Cher, Indre and Vienne in the southeast.  The Gâtine de Touraine, between the Loir and Loire rivers is one of the département’s sparsely wooded plateaus.
  
  There are three arrondissements in the département:  Chinon, Loches and Tours.  The ancient capital of the historic province of Touraine, Tours, is the département’s capital.  Tours was also a center of learning in the early Middle Ages.
  
  The economic activity of the département consists of agriculture, tourism and some industry.  The département’s agricultural activities include lush pastures for grazing, varied orchards and vineyards that produce such well known wines as Bourgueil, Montlouis and Vouvray.  Its tourism is centered about the chateaux such as Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceaux, Chinon, Langeais and Loches.  The chemical, electrical [there is a nuclear power station at Avoine] and the pharmaceutical industries have been especially active in the Tours area. 
   

• Loir-et-Cher [41]
  Loire-et-Cher, which is known for its 15th and 16th century châteaux, was created from the southwestern part of the historic province of Orléanais and from parts of the old provinces of Maine and Touraine.  The département is located in the west-center part of the region, and is bounded by the département of Eure-et-Loir to the north, Loiret to the northeast, Cher to the east, Indre to the south, Indre-et-Loire to the southwest and Sarthe to the west.
  
  The département’s north is a large, wheat growing plain.  To the south, cattle are bred in a marshy and forested area.  The Loir River flows through the towns of Vendôme and Montoire-sur-le-Loir in the département’s northwest.  The Loire, which flows northeast to southwest, bisects the département.  The Cher River flows through Mennetou-sur-Cher and Montrichard in the south.  Both the Loire and Cher are navigable.
  
  The Département of Loir-et-Cher is administratively divided into the three arrondissements of Blois, Romorantin-Lanthenay and Vendôme.  The département’s capital is at Blois.
  
  The département’s economic activity has been dynamic, but is mostly agricultural. Mixed farming predominates in the wooded hill country, northwest of the Loir, known as Perche.  Between the Loir and Loire Rivers, the prolongation of the Beauce plateau is a grain raising area.  The Loire Valley itself is known for its viniculture, fruit and vegetables.  In the Sologne, asparagus is the important crop.  The nuclear power generating plant, that was built on an artificial island [Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux] in the Loire just to the northeast of Blois, has been responsible for an industrial Renaissance in the area.  There is a strong wool industry concentrated near Romorantin-Lanthenay.  Thousands of tourists are attracted annually by the charming châteaux at Beaugency, Blois, Chambord and Chaumont. 
   

• Loiret [45]
  The Département of Loiret was formed mainly from the eastern part of the old  province of Orléanais.  It is located in the region’s northeastern corner.  The département is named for the eight mile long Loiret River, that originates from springs fed by the Loire River, south of Orléans.  Loiret is bordered by the Département of Essonne to the northwest, Seine-et-Marne to the northeast, Yonne to the east, Nièvre to the southeast, Cher to the south, Loire-et-Cher to the southwest and Eure-et-Loire to the west.
  
  The département’s topography is basically flat.  Its lowest point of 174 feet is in the low rolling hills of the Gâtinais, in the département’s northeast; its highest point is a  hill, on the wooded Sologne plain, that is 825 feet above sea level.  To the north of the Loire River, the soil is extremely fertile whereas the soil to the south is poor and is covered with forests.  The Loire River, as it flows through Loiret, forms an arch.  It enters from the southeast, flows northwest from Gien to Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, west-northwest to Orléans and then southwest through Meung-sur-Loire, Beaugency and Avaray.  The Essonne and Loing rivers flow through the  département’s northeast.  Both are tributaries of the Seine.  The Seine, in turn, is linked to the Loire, and its canal, by the 17th century Briare and Loing canals.
  
  Loiret is divided administratively into the three arrondissements of Orléans, Montargis and Pithiviers.  The département’s capital is at Orléans.

  Loiret’s agriculture consists of barley, corn and wheat cultivation on the Beauce Plateau and beekeeping and mixed farming in the Gâtinais.  Loiret’s Loire Valley cultivation of vineyards for vinegar nearly equals that of all the other areas of France.  Loiret’s industry is centralized around Orléans, with pottery at Gien and tire manufacturing at Montargis.  The département’s tourism is centered about Orléans and the ancient châteaux of Beaugency and Sully.  Another popular tourist attraction is the unique 9th century Byzantine mosaic at the abbey church of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire. 

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