Editing Orléans (section)

==Geography==
[[File:ORLEANS From Flight ORY-MAD 737 EC-LQX (7951291066).jpg|thumb|left|Orléans from above|270px]]
Orléans is located in the northern bend of the Loire, which crosses from east to west. Orléans belongs to the [[Loire Valley|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 kilometres southwest of Paris, is bordered to the north by the [[Beauce, France|Beauce]] region, more specifically the [[Forest of Orléans|Orléans Forest]] (French: ''forêt d'Orléans'') and Orléans-la-Source neighbourhood, and the [[Sologne]] region to the south.

Five bridges in the city cross the Loire: Pont de l'Europe, Pont du Maréchal Joffre (also called Pont Neuf), [[George V Bridge, Orléans|Pont George-V]] (also called Pont Royal, carrying the commune [[trams|tramway]]), Pont René-Thinat and Pont de Vierzon (rail bridge).
[[File:Orléans Pont George V 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[George V Bridge, Orléans|Pont George-V]]|270px]]

To the north of the Loire (''rive droite'') is to be found a small hill ({{Convert|102|m|abbr=on}} at the pont Georges-V, {{Convert|110|m|abbr=on}} at the Place du Martroi) which gently rises to {{Convert|125|m|abbr=on}} at la Croix Fleury, at the limits of [[Fleury-les-Aubrais]]. Conversely, the south (on the ''rive gauche'') has a gentle [[depression (geology)|depression]] to about {{Convert|95|m|abbr=on}} [[Above mean sea level|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 {{ill|Orléans-la-Source|fr}} neighbourhood was created, {{Convert|12|km|mi|0}}to the south of the original commune and separated from it by the Val d'Orléans and the river [[Loiret (river)|Loiret]] (whose source is in the [[Parc Floral de la Source]]). This quarter's altitude varies from about {{Convert|100|to|110|m|abbr=on}}.

===Climate===
Orléans experiences an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb''), similar to much of central France. July, the warmest month, has an average temperature of {{convert|19.4|C}} and a high of {{convert|25.4|C}}, while January, the coldest month, has an average temperature of {{convert|3.9|C}} and an average low temperature of {{convert|1.1|C}}, although February has a lower average low than January at {{convert|0.9|C}}. The record high temperature is {{convert|41.3|C}} recorded in July, while the record low temperature of {{convert|-19.8|C}} was recorded in January.

Precipitation is evenly distributed year-round, with Orléans receiving {{convert|642.5|mm}} of precipitation annually. However, some months are slightly wetter than others, with the driest month receiving {{convert|44.4|mm}} of rain and the wettest receiving {{convert|64.4|mm}} of precipitation on average. Precipitation days vary more, with less of them in the summer months than in the other seasons. Humidity is high year-round but decreases slightly in summer. July and August only have their humidity at 72% but December has 90% humidity on average. Orléans receives 1,767.3 hours of sunshine annually, with summer being the sunniest season and winter being the least sunny season. August, receiving 224.6 hours of sunshine on average, is the sunniest month, and December, receiving 56.6 hours of sunshine on average, has the least amount of sunshine.

{{Weather box
|location = Orléans, elevation: {{convert|123|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1938–present
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 16.6
|Feb record high C = 21.9
|Mar record high C = 26.5
|Apr record high C = 29.8
|May record high C = 32.7
|Jun record high C = 37.9
|Jul record high C = 41.3
|Aug record high C = 39.9
|Sep record high C = 35.0
|Oct record high C = 30.1
|Nov record high C = 21.8
|Dec record high C = 18.6
|Jan high C = 7.1
|Feb high C = 8.5
|Mar high C = 12.6
|Apr high C = 16.0
|May high C = 19.6
|Jun high C = 23.1
|Jul high C = 25.8
|Aug high C = 25.8
|Sep high C = 21.7
|Oct high C = 16.5
|Nov high C = 10.9
|Dec high C = 7.5
|year high C = 16.3
|Jan mean C = 4.4
|Feb mean C = 4.9
|Mar mean C = 7.9
|Apr mean C = 10.6
|May mean C = 14.2
|Jun mean C = 17.5
|Jul mean C = 19.7
|Aug mean C = 19.7
|Sep mean C = 16.1
|Oct mean C = 12.4
|Nov mean C = 7.7
|Dec mean C = 4.8
|year mean C = 11.7
|Jan low C = 1.7
|Feb low C = 1.3
|Mar low C = 3.3
|Apr low C = 5.2
|May low C = 8.8
|Jun low C = 11.8
|Jul low C = 13.6
|Aug low C = 13.6
|Sep low C = 10.5
|Oct low C = 8.2
|Nov low C = 4.5
|Dec low C = 2.1
|year low C = 7.0
|Jan record low C = -19.8
|Feb record low C = -16.4
|Mar record low C = -12.9
|Apr record low C = -5.4
|May record low C = -3.0
|Jun record low C = 0.8
|Jul record low C = 3.7
|Aug record low C = 4.2
|Sep record low C = -0.8
|Oct record low C = -4.5
|Nov record low C = -15.3
|Dec record low C = -16.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 48.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 44.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 44.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 47.2
|May precipitation mm = 63.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 51.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 57.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 50.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 51.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 59.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 60.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 58.5
|year precipitation mm = 635.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 10.4
|Feb precipitation days = 9.7
|Mar precipitation days = 8.8
|Apr precipitation days = 9.1
|May precipitation days = 10.0
|Jun precipitation days = 8.0
|Jul precipitation days = 7.3
|Aug precipitation days = 6.8
|Sep precipitation days = 7.7
|Oct precipitation days = 9.8
|Nov precipitation days = 10.8
|Dec precipitation days = 11.1
|year precipitation days = 109.4
|Jan humidity = 89
|Feb humidity = 85
|Mar humidity = 79
|Apr humidity = 74
|May humidity = 76
|Jun humidity = 74
|Jul humidity = 72
|Aug humidity = 72
|Sep humidity = 77
|Oct humidity = 84
|Nov humidity = 89
|Dec humidity = 90
|Jan sun = 64.1
|Feb sun = 90.9
|Mar sun = 146.1
|Apr sun = 185.8
|May sun = 214.7
|Jun sun = 220.1
|Jul sun = 232.0
|Aug sun = 228.5
|Sep sun = 184.5
|Oct sun = 121.4
|Nov sun = 73.8
|Dec sun = 60.9
|year sun = 1822.6
|source 1 = [[Meteo France]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meteofrance.com/climat/france/orleans/45055001/normales|title=Climatological Information for Besançon, France|publisher=Meteo France|date=14 February 2019|access-date=30 December 2015|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143858/http://www.meteofrance.com/climat/france/orleans/45055001/normales|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_45055001.pdf
| title = Orléans (45)
| work = Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1991–2020 et records
| publisher = Meteo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 14 February 2019}}</ref>
| source 2 = Infoclimat.fr (relative humidity 1961–1990)<ref name=Infoclimat>{{cite web
| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07249-orleans-bricy.html
| title = Normes et records 1961–1990: Orléans – altitude 123m
| language = fr
| publisher = Infoclimat
| access-date = 14 February 2019}}</ref>

}}

===The Loire and navigation===
[[File:La Loire à Orléans.jpg|thumb|The Loire as it flows through Orléans|400px]]
In Orléans, the Loire is separated by a submerged [[dike (construction)|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, and is at the heart of the city's foundation in the second century BC as a center of trade or [[Emporium (antiquity)|emporium]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Orleans, emporium des Carnutes |url=https://archeologie.orleans-metropole.fr/dossiers-thematiques/les-temoins-de-lhistoire/orleans-emporium-des-carnutes |website=Archeologie Orleans Metropole}}</ref> More recently, during the 17th century, the river enabled Orleans to become a major hub for refining sugar, which was imported from the Caribbean via [[Nantes]], and whose commerce boosted other aspects of the local economy, such as sweets, chocolate manufacturing, and paper for wrapping.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les raffineries de sucre |url=https://archives.orleans-metropole.fr/r/85/les-raffineries-de-sucre/ |website=Archives Orleans Ville et Metropole}}</ref> In the 18th century, Orleans also acquired a reputation for producing vinegar, from local vineyards as well as wine traveling up the Loire.<ref>{{cite web |title=Le vinaigre et Orleans |url=https://archives.orleans-metropole.fr/r/84/le-vinaigre-et-orleans/ |website=Archives Orleans Ville et Metropole}}</ref>

With the increase in size of ocean-going ships, large ships can now navigate the [[estuary]] only up to about [[Nantes]].

[[File:L'Inexplosible, Orléans.JPG|thumb|''L'Inexplosible n°22'', replica paddle steamer]]
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 river's irregular flow strongly limits traffic on it, in particular at its ascent, though this can be overcome by boats being given a tow.

An {{ill|inexplosible|lt=''Inexplosible''-type|fr}} [[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 commune's history.

On the river's north bank, near the town centre, is the [[Canal d'Orléans]], 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 [[canal pound|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.