The
Loire Valley (, ), spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the
Loire River in central
France, primarily within the
administrative region named
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. In 2000,
UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley to its list of
World Heritage Sites.