Celine’s warning was not an idle one. This stretch of bank had no sudden dropping off but sloped gradually into the full flow of the river. The dun water ran swiftly around sand reefs built up by the current; turbulent eddies, creamed with froth, pushed fussily against stones and fallen brush trapped in the shallow bank. A river thwarted by obstacles of its own making, bullying and punching its way along, is neither friendly nor inviting, but it does inspire awe. I took another step back, duly respectful of the river’s power. 

Rivers fascinate me. I find them exceedingly ponderable. I suppose that’s because they are convincing metaphors for life’s big moments, both tumultuous and serene, and perhaps more importantly, because a river’s flow though time carries with it a history of place. 

We give rivers a history but the history we give them is our own, marking the dates, the decades, and the evidence of the ages in which they helped to shape human events. An earlier visit to the Musée de la Marine de Loire, which lies just a few miles north of St Benoît, had provided me with an overview of the Loire River within the history of the valley. One hundred fifty years ago, Loire mariners transporting goods to the channel port of St. Nazaire, about 300 km from the spot on which I stood, would have walked upstream along a path laid out along these banks while towing their cargo vessels through the uneven depths of the channels. Or perhaps the buoy keeper would have marked the irregular water levels to indicate channels deep enough to navigate. But those cautions ceased at the end of the 19th Century when the last mariners surrendered their cargoes to the railroads. Centuries before that, Ancient Romans and the Vikings dipped oars into these waters. Medieval kings warred along its banks. Today, as always, the river sustains the rich diversity of wildlife within the Loire Valley, rightly referred to as the Garden of France, attracting visitors from the world over.

Yet the true history of the Loire, as that of any great river, is eons older than Eden. A river’s contract is not with us, but with earth, sea, and sky, and its future will continue into time beyond our time for as long as the contract holds. In effect, a river is ageless. So, on this one sunny morning in an early year of the 21st Century, it gave me deep satisfaction to stand on the banks of Loire, to witness a fleeting moment of its incomparable history, to be able to say that I was there.

Celine called us back to the carriage and we resumed our unhurried ride. Just beyond the meadow, at the east end of the marsh, a cluster of cottages, a few ancient ones built of river stones, and a few less ancient ones of brick and wood and flowered borders, huddled together in no apparent order. The trail wound around and between them. Celine pointed out Marie’s farmhouse, one of the larger ones in the settlement, where a small lean-to in the unfenced yard sheltered a cow and two dozing calves. The hamlet had a deceptively isolated air: deceptive because the village of Saint Benoît, with its ancient abbey, family-run shops and cafes, was but a few miles away. Modern Orléans lay less than 30 miles north, but the proximity of modernity held no sway over the hamlet’s pervading timelessness. This old river settlement eschewed change. No gentrified, prettied-up cottages need apply. 

Leaving the hamlet, the trail turned onto a paved road that ran parallel to the river, affording us a panoramic view of the Loire and the hazy-green marshland visible through the trees lining the opposite bank. The river, swollen with sand, flowed creamily between its banks, belying its swift passage toward the sea. From this vantage, the Loire seemed a somber river, sternly parental in its absolute dominion over the landscape, leaving no doubt as to what was in charge here. The river view stayed with us as the wagon crossed over a culvert bridge and onto the trail leading back to the stables. Oscar and Hugo picked up a little speed, and Celine didn’t discourage them. 

The Jack Russell was first off the carriage as we arrived back in the yard where he immediately retrieved a dusty tennis ball and began a private game of toss and chase. The handler released Oscar and Hugo from harness and returned them to the stables while the disembarked passengers milled around in preparation to depart. The unpaved yard, enclosed by the plastered brick buildings of Les Attelages du Marais, offered no amenities: no seating, no refreshments, no gift shop, and was devoid of greenery except for a few spare vines hugging the house and a single tree aside of the gate. But I liked the look of it. I liked its rusty earthiness and the fact that this unpretentious farm was part of a World Treasure.

It was time to leave. “Goodbye!” “Merci!” “Au revoir!” I followed my group back to our van, knowing that when we were gone we would be forgotten. But I would not forget. This brief glimpse into the back life along the Loire would remain in memory as something preciously unique. The river I would see again, of course, flowing through lush forests, past historic villages and magnificent chateaux, but never so intimately as on my carriage ride along the marsh trail of Saint Benoît sur Loire.

Information

Les Attelages du Marais is a decades-old family run farm currently managed by Celine and her husband Guy Vienna. In addition to carriage rides, the couple runs a riding school, teaching horse care and training, most especially the gentle technique of voice command.  From  Orleans, take the N60 to Châteauneuf-sur-Loire then 

D60 to St Benoit-sur-Loire.
37 Boutons Road
45730 Saint Benoit-sur-Loire
Tel/Fax: 02-38-35-72-36 Email: guyidole@aol.com

Other Sights In The Area

Fleury Abbey, founded by the Benedictine monks in 603, enshrines the remains of St. Benedict. The abbey is notable for it 11th Century Romanesque architecture and ornamented capitals. Tradition has it that here Joan of Arc and Charles VII prayed together on the eve of the battle of Orléans. 
45730 Saint Benoit sur Loire Email: infor@abbaye-fleury.com

Musée de la Marine de Loire, a modern museum installed in the refitted stables of a 17th Century chateau.  The exhibits include films, models and artifacts of past and present life on the Loire River. 

1, Place Aristide Brian
Châteauneuf-sur-Loire
Tel: 02-38-46-84-46 Email: musee.marinedeloire@wanadoo.fr

Where To Eat

The Saint Benoit, located in the village very near the Abbey. The interior is a treat for the eye, the food a delight for the palate. Offers local specialties including homemade pâté and jellies made from fruits de Loire. 

The following are the previous articles by S.A. Costigan:

• The Call Of Girona - A Lost Treasure Found
• Temple De La Sagrada Familia - In Barcelona