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Home > Travel France > France Destinations > Orleans
Orleans
France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and comprises various overseas islands and territories which are located in other regions. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. At 674,843 square kilometres, France is the world's 40th-largest country after Myanmar. France is a member of The European Union and Paris is the capital of this nation. The sole official language of France is French. Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions.
Orleans is a city and commune in north-central France, about 130 kilometers south-west of Paris. It is the capital of the Loiret department and of the Centre region. It has a population of 113,126. It has the land area of 27.48 square kilometers with a population in 1999 of 113,126 and density in 1999 of 4,117 square kilometers.
Orleans was founded as a Gallic civitas of the Celtic Carnutes tribe, called Cenabum. It was refounded in 275 by the Roman Emperor Aurelian who gave it his name, Aurelianum, as the city of Aureliani. In 451, Attila the Hun made an attempt to capture and sack the city, only to be driven off by the last-minute arrival of an army under the combined command of Theodoric, king of the Visigoths, and the Roman general Aetius.
It was the capital of the Merovingian king Clodomir of what was since known as the kingdom of Burgundy. The Siege of Orleans in 1428-1429 marked a turning point in the Hundred Years' War. Joan of Arc made her reputation here by lifting the siege nine days after she arrived.
Loiret is a department in north-central France named after the Loiret River. Loiret was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from the former province of Orleans. A city known for its historic myths and traditions, scenic beauty, luxurious hotels and cottages, Orleans is one of the favorite holiday destinations for most of the vacation lovers.
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