The capital of the
Centre region and of the
Loiret department, an hour from
Paris, is the city of
Orléans. With the
Loire river and two canals - the
canal d'Orléans and the
canal de Briare which boasts the longest canal-bridge in the world -
Orléans is set in the exceptionally beautiful landscape of
Loire Valley, a Unesco-protected site. From
Chalonnes-sur-Loire to
Sully-sur-Loire, this 260 km area encompasses
Angers, Saumur, Chinon, Tours, Amboise, Blois, Chambord and, of course,
Orléans. Take the opportunity to discover this unparalleled heritage:
travel to Orléans, the symbolic home town of that most adventurous of saints,
Joan of Arc.
At the half-timbered
Joan of Arc House you'll learn all about the fate of this heroine who came from
Orléans. In the year 1412, during the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc was born. At the age of 12, she had a calling from God to liberate
France from both the English and Burgundians, and to crown the Dauphin Charles King of
France in
Reims. In 1429, the "maid of
Orléans" freed
Orléans, the then capital of
France, from oppression, and
Charles VII was crowned king. Captured in 1430, Joan of Arc was finally judged a heretic and was burned at the stake by the English in 1431, in
Rouen. Ever since, she has been an icon of bravery and freedom in Europe, and the people of
Orléans pay tribute to her between the 29th April and the 8th May during the
Fêtes Johanniques in
Orléans. This medieval festival is complemented by a a stunning sound and light show in front of the Gothic
Cathedral Sainte Croix and also boasts the second largest military parade in
France.
For insight into the cultural past of this city, a visit to the
Museum of Fine Arts in Orléans, is an absolute must. The collection is one of the best in
France, and includes bronzes by
Maillol and
Rodin, paintings by
Velasquez and
Correggio as well as a particularly noteworthy collection of pastels.
Thirsty for nature?
Orléans will get down on one knee and offer it to you in a bouquet. The
Parc floral de la Source has a collection of themed gardens for you to frolick in at your leisure. Here, armed with your divining rod, you will find the mysterious source of the
Loiret, after which the department is named. Formerly the hunting ground and parkland of the French nobility for several centuries, the
Forest of Orléans, is the largest forest in
France (34500 hectares). You can gambol like spring lambs along the edge of the Loire, or cycle for miles, following the
Loire by bike itinerary. The Loire châteaux are just waiting to be discovered: visit the home of the Dukes of Sully at the
Château de Sully-sur-Loire (50 mn), or the
Château de Chateauneuf-sur-Loire (30 minutes away) which houses the
Loire Maritime Museum. The
Festival of the Loire in autumn is a fun 5 day event which sees hundreds of boats and sailors gather at the port in
Orléans.
From
Orléans you have the whole Centre region at your fingertips, don't let it slip through your fingers...