Loiret, Administrative department in Centre-Val de Loire, France
Loiret is an administrative department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of north-central France, covering gentle hills and wide fields crossed by waterways. The landscape shifts between forests in the south and open farmland in the north, with small towns and villages scattered across the territory.
The department was created during the French Revolution in 1790 as one of the original administrative units of the new state. Orléans was appointed as the seat of the prefecture and grew into the political and economic center of the region.
The name comes from a small river that flows through the area and joins the Loire. In rural villages, people still maintain traditional half-timbered wooden houses, while weekly markets offer fresh vegetables and cheese from the surrounding farms.
Travelers can reach the department by train from Paris in a short time, as Orléans serves as an important hub. Smaller towns are accessible via regional bus lines and country roads that pass through wide plains and wooded areas.
A canal from the 17th century runs through the area and connects several waterways through numerous locks. Many of the old locks and canal bridges are still preserved and now serve as quiet rest stops for walkers and cyclists.
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