Joan of Arc, Jeanne dArc, in 1429 , lead the forces of France during The Hundred Years Wars between Britain and France, and broke the Siege of Orleans, and she was also involved in the negotiations that formalized the end of that Siege of Orleans as well. The statue of Jeanne dArc, Place du Martroi. Flag of Orléans Flag Coat of arms of Orléans Coat of arms Orléans is located in France OrléansOrléans Location within Centre region Centre OrléansOrléans Coordinates: 47°54′09″N 1°54′32″E Country France Region Centre Department Loiret Arrondissement Orléans Canton Chief town of 6 cantons Intercommunality Orléans Val de Loire Government • Mayor (2008–2014) Serge Grouard (Radical–UMP) Area1 • Land 27.48 km2 (10.61 sq mi) Population (2009)2 • Population 113,224 • Density 4,120.2/km2 (10,671/sq mi) INSEE/Postal code 45234 / 45000 Elevation 90–124 m (295–407 ft) (avg. 116 m or 381 ft) Website orleans.fr/ 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. Orléans (UK /ɔːˈlɪənz/;[1] French pronunciation: [ɔʁleɑ̃][1]) is a city in north-central France, about 111 kilometres (69 mi) southwest of Paris. It is the capital of the Loiret department and of the Centre region. Orléans is located on the Loire River where the river curves south towards the Massif Central. The city of New Orleans (in French, La Nouvelle-Orléans), in Louisiana, United States is named after the commune of Orléans. GeographyEdit Orléans is located in the northern bend of the Loire, which crosses from east to west. Orléans belongs to the vallée de la Loire sector between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire, which was in 2000 inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The capital of Orléanais, 120 kilomètres south-south-west of Paris, it is bordered to the north by the Beauce region and the forêt dOrléans, and the Orléans-la-Source neighbourhood and the Sologne region to the south. Pont George-V Five bridges in the city cross the river : Pont de lEurope Pont du Maréchal Joffre (also called pont Neuf) Pont George-V (also called pont Royal), carrying the commune tramway Pont René-Thinat Pont de Vierzon (rail bridge) To the north of the Loire (on the rive droite) is to be found a small hill (102 m (335 ft) at the pont Georges-V, 110 m (360 ft) at the place du Martroi) which gently rises to 125 m (410 ft) at la Croix Fleury, at the limits of Fleury-les-Aubrais. Conversely, the south (on the rive gauche) has a gentle depression to about 95 m (312 ft) above sea level (at Saint-Marceau) between the Loire and the Loiret, designated a zone inondable (flood-risk zone). At the end of the 1960s, the Orléans-la-Source quarter was created, 12 kilometres (7 mi)to the south of the original commune and separated from it by the Val dOrléans and the Loiret River (whose source is in the Parc Floral de la Source). This quarters altitude varies from about 100 to 110 m (330 to 360 ft). The Loire and navigation The Loire bursting its banks at Orléans In Orléans, the Loire is separated by a submerged dike known as the dhuis into the Grande Loire to the north, no longer navigable, and the Petite Loire to the south. This dike is just one part of a vast system of construction that previously allowed the Loire to remain navigable to this point. The Loire was formerly an important navigation and trading route. with the increase in size of ocean-going ships, large ships can now navigate the estuary only up to about Nantes. Boats on the river were traditionally flat-bottomed boats, with large but foldable masts so the sails could gather wind from above the river banks but the masts could be lowered in order to allow the boats to pass under bridges. these vessels are known as gabarre, futreau, and so on, and may be viewed by tourists near pont Royal. The rivers irregular flow strongly limits traffic on it, in particular at its ascent, though this can be overcome by boats being given a tow. An Inexplosible-type paddle steamer owned by the mairie was put in place in August 2007, facing place de la Loire and containing a bar. Every two years, the Festival de Loire recalls the role played by the river in the communes history. on the rivers north bank near the town centre is the Canal dOrléans, which connects to the Canal du Loing and the Canal de Briare at Buges near Montargis. The canal is no longer used along its whole length. Its route within Orléans runs parallel to the river, separated from it by a wall or muret, with a promenade along the top. Its last pound was transformed into an outdoor swimming pool in the 1960s, then filled in. It was reopened in 2007 for the fêtes de Loire. there are plans to revive use of the canal for recreation and install a pleasure-boat port there. Climate Orléans experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb), similar to much of central France. Climate data for Orléans Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 6.4 (43.5) 7.9 (46.2) 11.6 (52.9) 14.4 (57.9) 18.6 (65.5) 21.7 (71.1) 24.8 (76.6) 25.0 (77) 21.1 (70) 15.9 (60.6) 10.1 (50.2) 7.2 (45) 15.4 (59.7) Average low °C (°F) 0.9 (33.6) 1.1 (34) 2.8 (37) 4.4 (39.9) 8.3 (46.9) 11.0 (51.8) 13.1 (55.6) 12.9 (55.2) 10.3 (50.5) 7.4 (45.3) 3.5 (38.3) 2.0 (35.6) 6.5 (43.7) Precipitation mm (inches) 52 (2.05) 50 (1.97) 47 (1.85) 49 (1.93) 67 (2.64) 45 (1.77) 54 (2.13) 40 (1.57) 56 (2.2) 62 (2.44) 56 (2.2) 58 (2.28) 636 (25.04) Mean monthly sunshine hours 65 88 136 160 211 195 217 237 166 113 73 49 1,710 Source: Météo France[2] HistoryEdit Prehistory and Roman See also Cenabum, Aureliana Civitas. Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the tribe of the Carnutes where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire. The emperor Aurelian rebuilt the city, renaming it Aurelianum, or Aureliana Civitas, city of Aurelian (cité dAurélien), which evolved into Orléans.[3] Accompanying the Vandals, the Alans crossed the Loire in 408. One of their groups, under Goar, joined the Roman forces of Flavius Aetius to fight Attila when he invaded Gaul in 451, taking part in the Battle of Châlons under their king Sangiban. Installed in Orléans and along the Loire, they were unruly (killing the towns senators when they felt they had been paid too slowly or too little) and resented by the local inhabitants. Many inhabitants around the present city have names bearing witness to the Alan presence – Allaines. Early Middle Ages In the Merovingian era, the city was capital of the kingdom of Orléans following Clovis Is division of the kingdom, then under the Capetians it became the capital of a county then duchy held in appanage by the house of Valois-Orléans. The Valois-Orléans family later acceded to the throne of France via Louis XII then Francis I. In 1108, one of the few consecrations of a French monarch to occur outside of Reims occurred at Orléans, when Louis VI of France was consecrated in Orléans cathedral by Daimbert, archbishop of Sens. High Middle Ages Orléans in September 1428, the time of the Siege of Orléans. Cathedrale Sainte Croix-dOrléans The city was always a strategic point on the Loire, for it was sited at the rivers most northerly point, and thus its closest point to Paris. There were few bridges over the dangerous river Loire, but Orléans had one of them, and so became – with Rouen and Paris – one of medieval Frances three richest cities. French troops of Joan of Arc besieging English fortifications in attempt to break the siege of Orléans. On the south bank the châtelet des Tourelles protected access to the bridge. This was the site of the battle on 8 May 1429 which allowed Joan of Arc to enter and lift the city from the siege of the Plantagenets during the Hundred Years War, with the help of the royal generals Dunois and Florent dIlliers. The citys inhabitants have continued to remain faithful and grateful to her to this day, calling her la pucelle dOrléans (the maid of Orléans), offering her a middle-class house in the city, and contributing to her ransom when she was taken prisoner. 1453 to 1699 Once the Hundred Years War was over, the city recovered its former prosperity. The bridge brought in tolls and taxes, as did the merchants passing through the city. King Louis XI also greatly contributed to its prosperity, revitalising agriculture in the surrounding area (particularly the exceptionally fertile land around Beauce) and relaunching saffron farming at Pithiviers. Later, during the Renaissance, the city benefited from it becoming fashionable for rich châtelains to travel along the val-de-Loire (a fashion begun by the king himself, whose royal domains included the nearby Chambord, Amboise, Blois, and Chenonceau). The University of Orléans also contributed to the citys prestige. Specializing in law, it was highly regarded throughout Europe. John Calvin was received and accommodated there (during which time he wrote part of his reforming theses) and in return Henry VIII of England (who had drawn on Calvins work in his separation from Rome) offered to fund a scholarship at the University. Many other Protestants were sheltered by the city. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known by his pseudonym Molière, also studied law at the University, but was expelled for attending a carnival contrary to University rules. From 13 December 1560 to 31 January 1561, the French States-General met here. This was just after the death of Francis II of France, the eldest son of Catherine de Médicis and Henry II, on 5 December 1560 in the Hôtel Groslot in Orléans, with his queen Mary at his side. The cathedral was rebuilt several times. The present structure had its first stone laid by Henry IV, and work on it took a century. It thus is a mix of late Renaissance and early Louis XIV styles, and one of the last cathedrals to be built in France. 1700–1900 When France colonised America, the territory it conquered was immense, including the whole Mississippi River (whose first European name was the River Colbert), from its mouth to its source at the borders of Canada. Its capital was named la Nouvelle-Orléans in honour of Louis XVs regent, the duke of Orléans, and was settled with French inhabitants against the threat from British troops to the north-east. The Dukes of Orléans hardly ever visited their city since, as brothers or cousins of the king, they took such a major role in court life that they could hardly ever leave. Officially their castle was that at Blois. The duchy of Orléans was the largest of the French duchies, starting at Arpajon, continuing to Chartres, Vendôme, Blois, Vierzon, and Montargis. The dukes son bore the title duke of Chartres. Inheritances from great families and marriage alliances allowed them to accumulate huge wealth, and one of them – Philippe Égalité is sometimes said to have been the richest man in the world at the time. His son, Louis-Philippe I, inherited the Penthièvre and Condé family fortunes. 1852 saw the creation of the Compagnies ferroviaires Paris-Orléans and its famous gare dOrsay in Paris. In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the city again became strategically important thanks to its geographical position, and was occupied by the Prussians on 13 October that year. The armée de la Loire was formed under the orders of général dAurelle de Paladines and based itself not far from Orléans at Beauce. 1900 to present US Army medics in Orléans, 1944 During the Second World War, the German army made the Orléans Fleury-les-Aubrais railway station one of their central logistical rail hubs. The Pont Georges V was renamed pont des Tourelles.[4] A transit camp for deportees was built at Beaune-la-Rolande. During the Liberation, the American Air Force heavily bombed the city and the train station, causing much damage. The city was one of the first to be rebuilt after the war: the reconstruction plan and city improvement initiated by Jean Kérisel and Jean Royer was adopted as early as 1943 and work began as early as the start of 1945. This reconstruction in part identically reproduced what had been lost, such as Royale and its arcades, but also used innovative prefabrication techniques, such as îlot 4 under the direction of the architect Pol Abraham.[5] The big city of former times is today an average-sized city of 250,000 inhabitants. It is still using its strategically central position less than an hour from the French capital to attract businesses interested in reducing transport costs. Heraldry According to Victor Adolphe Malte-Brun in La France Illustrée, 1882, Orléanss arms are gules, three caillous in cœurs de lys argent, and on a chief azure, three fleurs de lys Or. Charle Grandmaison, in the Dictionnaire Héraldique of 1861, states that it is Or, with three hearts in gules, without the chief of France. Sometimes, in faulty designs, we find it described gules, three fleurs de lys argent, and on a chief azure three fleurs de lys Or.[6] It is to be noted that the design shown left shows 3 cœurs de lys (heart of a lily), seen from above. This cœurs de lys is therefore not a true lily, which would have 6 tepals, but a hypothetical aerial view of a symbolic lily. It has probably also been stylised more and more in heraldry, as in the heart in a pack of cards. Certain authors solve the problem by calling this symbol a tiercefeuille, defined as a stemless clover leaf, with one leaf at the top and two below, thus making this coat of arms gules, with three reversed tiercefeuilles in argent, etc. Motto Hoc vernant lilia corde (granted by Louis XII, then duke of Orléans), meaning It is by this heart that lilies flourish or This heart makes lilies flourish, referring to the fleur de lys, symbol of the French royal family. TransportEdit Orléans tram Public transport TAO manages buses and tram lines in Orléans. The first tram line was inaugurated 20 November 2000. The second was inaugurated 30 June 2012[7] 2 SNCF stations : Fleury les Aubrais and Orléans Centre Roads and highway Orléans is an autoroute intersection : the A10 (linking Paris to Bordeaux) links to the commune outskirts, and A71 (whose bridge over the Loire is outside the commune limits) begins here, heading for the Mediterranean via Clermont-Ferrand (where it becomes the A75). A10 Highway From Paris to Bordeaux A71 Highway From Orléans to Bourges A19 Highway From Sens to Artenay National Road 20 From Paris to Spain Railway Orléans is served by two main railway stations: the central Gare dOrléans and the Gare des Aubrais-Orléans, in the northern suburbs. Most long-distance trains call only at the Les Aubrais-Orléans station, which offers connections to Paris, Lille, Tours, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Nevers, and several regional destinations. PeopleEdit Orléans is the birthplace of: Patrick Barul, football player Joelly Belleka, basketball player Raoul Blanchard (1877–1965), geographer Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery (1797-1849), anatomist Philippe Chanlot, football player Marion Cotillard, actress Étienne Dolet (1509–1546), scholar and printer Albert Gombault (1844-1904), neurologist Jacques Guillemeau (1550–1613), physician Gaston dIlliers (1876–1932), sculptor Isaac Jogues (1607–1646), Jesuit missionary Stanislas Julien (1797–1873), orientalist Gustave Lanson (1857–1934), historian Damien Mayenga, football player Yven Moyo, football player Charles Péguy (1873–1914), poet and essayist Antoine Petit (1722-1794), physician Robert-Joseph Pothier (1699–1772), jurist Lamine Sambe, basketball player Yacine Sene, basketball player Jean Zay (1904–1944), jurist and politician CultureEdit Historical secular monuments of interest The Gallo-Roman town-wall on the north side of the cathedral (4th c. AD) and along the rue de la Tour-Neuve ; The Hôtel Groslot, built between 1550 and 1555 for Jacques Groslot, bailli dOrléans by Jacques Ier Androuet du Cerceau. François II of France died there in 1560. Charles IX,Henri III of France and Henri IV of France stayed there. The hôtel was restored in 1850.The building houses the town Hall of Orléans since 1790 (weddings are still celebrated in one of the rooms) ; The hôtel de la Vieille Intendance (early 15th century AD) (otherwise named hôtel Brachet, formerly « The Kings house »), real gothic-renaissance style château made of bricks.[8] Today it houses the Administrative Court of Orléans. One can admire its frontage from the entrance in the rue de la Bretonnerie. But the most beautiful view of this house in which stayed the highest figures of the kingtom passing by the city, and maybe some kings themselves (Henri IV, Louis XIII, Louis XIV of France), may be obtained from its gardens, opened to the public (entrance rue dAlsace-Lorraine). The hôtel de la Motte-Sanguin (18th century) and its gardens, manor built by order of du duke of Orléans,[9] Louis-Philippe dOrléans (1747-1793) named « Égalité » / equality after his backing of the 1789 revolutionaries. Nicknamed the richest man on earth he voted in favor of the death penalty against his cousin the king Louis XVI. This is a classic style princely residence (and even royal because Philippe Égalités heir accessed the throne of France under the name of Louis-Philippe Ier). It is comparable to the Loire Valleys chateaux. The school of artillery, formerly housing a military school built in the 19th century near the river Loire, and the more recent pont René-Thinat.[10] The House of Louis XI (end of the 15th c. AD.), on Saint-Aignan square. Built by order of the sovereign who revered particularly Saint-Aignan;[11] The House of Joan of Arc, where she stayed during the Siege of Orléans (in fact, this is an approximate reconstitution, the original building was bombed by the Nazis in 1940) ; The place du Martroi, heart of the city, with a statue of Joan of Arc at its center, made by Denis Foyatier. This statue was damaged during the Second World War then repaired by Paul Belmondo, father of the famous 50s-80s french actor ; The Bannier gate-house, discovered in 1986 under the statue of Joan of Arc (Place du Martroi). It was built in the 14th century AD. It can be seen through a window in the subterranean car-park under the square or visited under certain conditions ; The Tour Blanche / White Tower, only tower subsisting of the Gallo-Roman town wall (still in use at the time of the Siege of Orléans. ; The salle de lInstitut, on place Sainte Croix, is a small concert hall which can be converted in a ball room. Its acoustincs is remarkable ; The Hôtel Cabu, otherwise named house of Diane de Poitiers, built by order of Philippe Cabu, barrister, in 1547, on plans of the famous architect Jacques Ier Androuet du Cerceau ; The Hôtel Hatte, 16th century AD. Today the Charles-Péguy Center ; The Hôtel Toutin, 16th century AD ; The Hôtel Pommeret dOrléans, 16th century AD; The Hôtel Ducerceau, 16th century AD ; The Hôtel des Créneaux, former city hall, flanked by its bell tower. It today houses the citys school of music. ; The House of Jean Dalibert,16th century ; The Study of Jacques Bouchet (16th century AD), which can be admired from the public square Jacques Bouchet ; The mansions of the rue dEscure (XVIIth century-XVIIIth century) ; The préfecture : former benedictine monastery, built in 1670 and housing the Préfecture du Loiret since 1800. ; The Pont de lEurope, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is an inclined bow-string ark bridge particularly original ; The Pont Royal, the oldest bridge of the city ; The Pont des Tourelles, built in 1140 and demolished in 1760, was the first stone-made bridge of Orléans. When the river Loire is low, one can see remains of it in the water ; Statue La Baigneuse by Paul Belmondo, aside the rue Royale (1955); Statue of Calvin, by Daniel Leclercq, facing the calvinist temple (2009);[12] The bishops palace, (17th - 18th century AD) ; The courthouse. ; Many historical houses and mansions (hundreds) can still be admired in the city center which is one of the largest in France due to the great importance of the city until the 20th century. Museums Museums in Orléans:[13] Musée des Beaux-Arts dOrléans Charles Peguy Centre Joan of Arcs House Fine Arts Museum City Historical and Archeological Museum Natural Science Museum Parks Parks in Orléans:[14] Parc Floral de la Source Motte Sanguin garden Charpenterie garden Botanic garden Anjorrant park Charbonnière park Moins Roux park Pasteur park Media TV network: Orléans TV Newspaper: La République du Centre (the Republic of the Centre) Music Burning Heads Sport Orléans has a basketball team: Orléans Loiret Basket which is in the French first division. The club won the Coupe de France of basketball, its first major trophy, in the season 2009 - 2010. Orléans also has a football club the US Orléans which plays in the French second division. The city also has very well known clubs in karate, fencing and judo. In 2012, Orléans will host a stage finish of Paris–Nice. International relationsEdit See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France Orléans is twinned with: United Kingdom Dundee, United Kingdom[15][16] Italy Treviso, Italy Germany Münster, Germany[17] Norway Kristiansand, Norway United States Wichita, United States Spain Tarragona, Spain France Saint-Flour, France Japan Utsunomiya, Japan Romania Lugoj, Romania Benin Parakou, Benin Russia Perm, Russia[18] It has a partnership with: Poland Kraków in Poland[19] EducationEdit The University campus is in the La Source area in southern part of the commune. See also References Further reading External links Read in another language Wikipedia ® MobileDesktop Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. Terms of UsePrivacy
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 01:53:17 +0000
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