Glossary
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Brande French name for a type of scrubland, consisting of Besom Heath, broom, bramble and gorse. The vegetation is roughly two metres high and, partly due to the spiny gorses, impenetrable. Button Low hill typical of the Brenne, made up of resistant sandstone. The different soil type renders the buttons a different flora than the surrounding region, with a high number of rarities (see page 63). Étang French for pond, a man-made lake. Lande French for heathland. Loire (Valley) Region Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as the Loire Valley or Loire Region, but in this book it is used to indicate the lands surrounding the central part of the Loire, including the Sologne, Brenne and Forêt d’Orléans, in other words the region covered in this book. The Loire Region roughly coincides with the administrative Région Centre and is not to be confused with the Pays de Loire which is the administrative region west of the Région Centre. Oxbow (Lake) Natural lake that was formed when the river changed its course, leaving the old channel as an elongated (crescent-shaped) lake behind. Oxbow lakes are important spawning grounds for fish and dragonflies. Some oxbows regain their connection with the river when the water level is high. Tourbière French for peatland.
glossary