Orleans

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Orleans is on the Loire River and is the main city in the Loiret department, and also in the Centre region. It is located south of Paris and east of Le Mans.

The city is best known for its association with Joan of Arc (the Maid of Orléans), the peasant girl who heard God speaking to her telling her to guide the King in his battle againat the English - which she duly did. Joan helped defeat the siege of Orleans, and ultimately to enable France to defeat the English. See the story of Joan of Arc for more details.

This story is very important to France and French history, and in Orleans you will see various tributes - for example the statue of Joan of Arc astride a horse in the Place du Martroi, and a chance to see the house where she lived, now carefully rebuilt after destruction in the Second World War, and maintained in its original 15th century condition in the Place du General de Gaulle.

cathedral and skyline of Orleans from the banks of the Loire River

Despite its central location in France a significant part of the historical centre of Orleans avoided damage during the Second World War, and the town has an extensive medieval centre with many fine townhouses to admire.

One of the most splendid, and open to the public, is the Hotel Groslot in Place de l'Etape, a very ornate and distinguished 19th century red brick building with a fine interior of the period. other particularly fine 'hotels' (townhouses) include the renaissance Hotel Cabu (now a museum relating the history of Orléans); the original Orleans town hall, the Hotel des Creneaux; and the maison Jean-Dalibert.

There are also several attractive open squares, such as Place du Chatelet, lined with grand townhouses some of which date from the 16th century, and Place du Martroi, which contains the 19th century statue of Joan of Arc.

One important Orleans highlight is the cathedral Sainte-Croix, a 17th centre gothic style building that has a great deal of impressive stonework ornamentation. Other religious highlights include the medieval Crypt of Saint-Aignan, a subterranean ensemble of chapels dating from the early middle ages, and the remains of the Minimes convent and cloister.

Your first stop on visiting should be the Orleans tourist office, because there are many other interesting sites including several churches, more historically important buildings, museums and parks (eg Parc Pasteur, Parc Floral de la Source, and the town botanical gardens at Jardin des Plantes) to discover and enjoy.

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Orleans Hotels

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