Dourdan () is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France. It is the capital of the historical region of Hurepoix. It is located in the metropolitan area of Paris. Geography Dourdan is located on the river Orge in the western Essonne. The town is surrounded by the Dourdan forest (Forêt de Dourdan). Climate Dourdan has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Dourdan is . The average annual rainfall is with May as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Dourdan was on 25 July 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 8 January 2010. History The origin of the name comes credibly from "Dour" derived of the Celtic root "Dor" which means "water" or "river", the same origin as for the English city of Dover. The radical "dan" could have meant "hill". Dourdan (Dordincum) developed during the Gallo-Roman period as an important center of production of ceramics. In the Middle Ages, it became the residence of Hugh the Great, father of Hugh Capet; he died there in 956. Dourdan became a royal city in 987, when Hugh Capet was crowned king. In 1220, King Philip II Augustus of France built a new castle; its most famous owners were: Blanche de Castille, Louis d'Évreux, Jean, duc de Berry, François de Lorraine, duc de Guise, Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully, Anne of Austria and the House of Orléans. General Auguste Jubé de La Perelle (1765–1824) died in Dourdan. Population Inhabitants of Dourdan are known as Dourdannais. Transportation Two train and RER stations are located in Dourdan: Dourdan and Dourdan-la-Forêt, terminus of one of the branches of the RER C line. The Dourdan SNCF station is on the line going from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Vendôme and Châteaudun. Both stations allow passengers to go to Paris and Versailles, with trains leaving every 30 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes during rush hour. An express bus line connects Dourdan to Massy and Orsay using A10 highway every 5 minutes during rush hour and every hour during the day. Main sights Saint-Germain-d'Auxerre Church Construction of the church began in 1150 and was completed by the end of the 12th century. In 1428, during the Hundred Years' War, its upper part was badly damaged by