Guide to Loiret & Property for Sale in Department 45

The Loiret department is a historical region located in the Loire Valley region in north-central France. It was named after the Loiret River, which flows into the Loire River and is entirely within the department. The capital of Loiret is Orléans, located approximately 110 km southwest of Paris. It is a city with a rich past, featuring a large central area with numerous historic buildings, mansions and a cathedral dating back to the 13th century, which was reconstructed after being destroyed by Protestant forces in 1568. Loiret (department number 45) is renowned for its numerous châteaux, and it is one of the original 83 departments created by the National Constituent Assembly during the French Revolution in March 1790. The new departments were created to be uniformly administered and roughly equal in size and population. Loiret was formed from the former province of Orléanais, which was too large to continue in its previous form.

Discover Loiret - Houses & Lifestyle in Loiret

Geographic Overview of Loiret

Today, Loiret, along with the departments of Loir-et-Cher and Eure-et-Loir, forms the region Centre-Val de Loire. It borders Eure-et-Loir, Essonne, and Seine-et-Marne to the north, Yonne to the east, Nièvre to the southeast, Cher to the south, and Loir-et-Cher to the west. The department is mostly flat, low-lying land, through which the River Loire flows.

Agricultural Riches of Beauce

The northwestern part of the department is in the cereal-growing region known as Beauce, an undulating plateau with some of France's best agricultural land. This area was popular with the French aristocracy during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period and is home to many historic châteaux, including Château d'Augerville, Château de Sully-sur-Loire and Château de Trousse-Barrière.

The Unique Landscape of Sologne

The southern part of the department, situated south of the River Loire, is known as the Sologne. It is a region of heathland and marshland interspersed with hills where vines are grown. The eastern part of the department is known as Gâtinais and was formerly part of a province of the same name. Until the beginning of the 21st century, it was famous for producing saffron.

Key Information about the Loiret (45)

Main City/Prefecture: Orléans
Nearest Airport: Paris-Orly Airport
Population: Around 680,000 (as of the latest census)
Area: 6,775 sq. kilometres and 2,615 sq. miles
Landmark: Orléans Cathedral (Cathédrale Sainte-Croix), a Gothic cathedral tied to the story of Joan of Arc.
Number of Tourists/Year: Approx. 2.5 million, drawn by its Loire Valley castles, historic sites and Joan of Arc heritage.

Property Prices in Loiret in 2025

Houses: the average price per sq. metre: €1,978
Apartments: the average price per sq. metre: €3,122
Price trends: –4% over the last 12 months, +22% over the last 5 years (Le Figaro)