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Orsay
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<p>Orsay is a <a href="/facts/Communes_of_France/76pNg6kk">commune</a> in the <a href="/facts/Essonne/2KMB55w2">Essonne</a> <a href="/facts/Departments_of_France/KVnaWaqQ">department</a> in <a href="/facts/%25C3%258Ele-de-France/CS20j02Y">Île-de-France</a> in northern <a href="/facts/France/CxIeIKM3">France</a>. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of <a href="/facts/Paris/DrNHpwnA">Paris</a>, <a href="/facts/France/CxIeIKM3">France</a>, 20.7 km (12.9 mi) from the <a href="/facts/Kilometre_Zero/HBe13kE9">centre of Paris</a>. </p><p>A fortified location of the <a href="/facts/Vall%25C3%25A9e_de_Chevreuse/fYLsqh29">Chevreuse valley</a> since the 8th century and agricultural domain of wealthy and influential people, the development of Orsay is marked by the introduction of a <a href="/facts/Rail_transport/9nJQbsDV">railroad</a> in the second half of the 18th century (today the <a href="/facts/RER_B/DFXVkEUS">RER B</a> of which two stations are located in Orsay) and donations which allow the construction of a hospital still active to this day. </p><p>Orsay is the main home to the <a href="/facts/Paris-Saclay_University/5d5XEYxe">Paris-Saclay University</a>. The university significantly shapes Orsay's economy as it employs about 10,000 academic workers. The city's economy is also centered on high technology, with several companies drawn to the area by the <a href="/facts/Paris-Saclay/HzI7PXx9">Paris-Saclay</a>'s research and development infrastructure. </p><p>Seat of the Orsay campus of Paris-Saclay University, crossed by the 118 national road, Orsay has become a residential city of the <a href="/facts/Paris_metropolitan_area/bBGzEfAe">Paris metropolitan area</a> and the <a href="/facts/Vall%25C3%25A9e_de_Chevreuse/fYLsqh29">Chevreuse valley</a>, easily accessible and with a preserved <a href="/facts/Natural_environment/NzGY148M">environment</a> at the heart of the <a href="/facts/Paris-Saclay/HzI7PXx9">Paris-Saclay</a> scientific cluster with laboratories of the <a href="/facts/French_National_Center_for_Scientific_Research/z8RBcY1j">CNRS</a> and the <a href="/facts/Curie_Institute_(Paris)/lvzkmu8g">Curie Institute</a> on its territory. </p>