Village de la Meilleraie

The village of La Meilleraie, on the banks of the Loire, has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Formerly bustling with craft and commercial activities, it was home to two boat-building yards of varying sizes, bearing witness to the importance of river navigation in the region.
Another vestige of the past is the metal dam, built to contain the floodwaters of the Loire, located at Haute Meilleraie, near the Grande cale. At that time, the exploitation of Loire sand was an important economic activity for the village.
The village also underwent significant commercial development, with several cafés and grocery shops providing a lively backdrop to local life. Today, a few restaurants remain open on the banks of the Loire, but the commercial activity has diminished.
The flood of 1936 remains a landmark event, the height of which was engraved at 1.60 m above road level. Around the village, you can also discover traces of its industrial history, notably the chimney from the old steam train era, near the station.
There is also the Bonchamps house, where General Bonchamps died on the stairs. It hosts exhibitions from spring to autumn.