Industrial city of France, on the river
Loire; 115 km/70 mi SW of Paris; population
(1982) 220,500. It is the capital of Loiret
departement. Industries include engineering
and food processing. Orleans, of pre-Roman
origin and formerly the capital of the old
province of Orleanais, is associated with
Joan of Arc, who liberated it from English
rule in 1429.