Orleans tourism and travel guide

Visit Orleans: highlights and tourist information
Travel Guide To Visit AttractionsFrance This Way comment: The large town of Orleans has a great deal to recommend it: a famous cathedral, an extensive old town, a riverside promenade, and some lovely gardens nearby
Orleans is situated in the Loiret department and Centre-Loire Valley region.
Important note
This page features a summary of highlights that you might like to explore near Orleans. For detailed visitor information see the Orleans travel guide.
Attractions in Orleans

The arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres is a fabulous arboretum and garden near Orleans: Arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres

The carvings and grandeur of the western facade are the highlight of the 17th century cathedral in Orleans: Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, Orleans

The Parc Floral de la Source is an extensive park to the south of Orleans that includes the source of the Loiret river: Parc Floral de la Source, Orleans

The Hotel Groslot is a beautiful mansion close to the cathedral in Orleans.: Hotel Groslot
Tourist classifications for Orleans include "town of art and history" and "remarkable garden".
Popular places to visit nearby include Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, Orleans at 0 km and Parc Floral de la Source, Orleans at 7 km. For more sites to visit and local tourist attractions see the map and listings below.
Orleans, France: places to visit and attractions
Some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Orleans in Centre-Loire Valley.
Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

Hotel Groslot
less than one km (direction east)The Hotel Groslot is a beautiful mansion close to the cathedral in...
See Hotel Groslot guide

Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, Orleans
Cathedral less than one km (direction east)The carvings and grandeur of the western facade are the highlight of...
See Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, Orleans guide

Parc Floral de la Source, Orleans
Garden at 7 km (direction south-south-east)The Parc Floral de la Source is an extensive park to the...
See Parc Floral de la Source, Orleans guide

Meung-sur-Loire
at 17 km (direction west-south-west)Meung sur Loire is a pretty medieval village near Orleans....
See Meung-sur-Loire guide

Les Jardins de Roquelin
Garden at 17 km (direction west-south-west)The Jardins de Roquelin is a pretty rose garden in the Loire...
See Les Jardins de Roquelin guide

Beaugency
at 24 km (direction west-south-west)A small town on the banks of the Loire River, Beaugency squeezes...
See Beaugency guide

Arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres
Garden at 25 km (direction east-north-east)The arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres is a fabulous arboretum and garden near...
See Arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres guide

Chateau de Chamerolles
Castle at 26 km (direction east-north-east)The chateau de Chamerolles is an attractive chateau with a pretty Renaissance...
See Chateau de Chamerolles guide

Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire Abbey
Abbey at 32 km (direction east-south-east)Fans of romanesque architecture will appreciate the many period features in the...
See Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire Abbey guide

Bellegarde
at 41 km (direction east)Bellegarde is a small traditional town with an atractive moated castle in...
See Bellegarde guide

Yevre-le-Chatel
Most Beautiful Village at 43 km (direction east-north-east)The walk along the Rimarden river, the traditional charm and the ruined...
See Yevre-le-Chatel guide

Chateau de Chambord
Castle at 43 km (direction south-west), in the Loir-et-Cher departmentThe largest castle in the Loire Valley, Chateau de Chambord exceeds all...
See Chateau de Chambord guide

Chateaudun
National Monument at 46 km (direction west-north-west), in the Eure-et-Loir departmentBoth the castle and the town along the Loir River make Chateaudun...
See Chateaudun guide

Chateau de Blois
Castle at 55 km (direction west-south-west), in the Loir-et-Cher departmentOne of the most impressive of the Loire castles, the Chateau de...
See Chateau de Blois guide
... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Loiret
Map of places to visit near Orleans
Markets in and near Orleans
Market days in Orleans: weekly market: every day except Monday;
- Orleans: market every day except Monday (0km)
- Fleury-les-Aubrais: market Tuesday & Sunday (3km)
- Meung-sur-Loire: market Sunday (18km)
- La Ferte-Saint-Aubin: market Thursday (20km)
- Chateauneuf-sur-Loire: market Friday all day (24km)
- Beaugency: market Saturday all day (25km)
- Ouzouer-le-Marche: market Friday (28km)
- Saint-Laurent-Nouan: market Friday (30km)
- Toury: market Sunday (33km)
- Lamotte-Beuvron: market Friday (34km)
Hotels near Orleans
More information about Orleans, Loire Valley
Tourist attractions near Orleans, France
What to do at Orleans? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Orleans.
National Monuments
- Talcy Chateau (37km)
Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)
- Beaugency (24km)
- Chateaudun (46km)
Churches and religious monuments
- Abbaye de Saint Benoît sur Loire (Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire Abbey) (32km)
- Eglise de Notre Dame (Boiscommun) (39km)
Remarkable gardens
- Les prés-Culand (17km)
- Arboretum des grandes bruyères (25km)
- Jardin du château de Talcy (37km)
- Roseraie des terrasses de l’évêché (55km)
- Parc du château de Beauregard (56km)
Protected historical centre (fr: secteur sauvegardé)
(see also historical French towns)
- Blois (55km)
Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)
- Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle (3km)
- Fleury-les-Aubrais (3km)
- Olivet (4km)
- Saint-Cyr-en-Val (9km)
- Quiers-sur-Bezonde (41km)
- Moutiers (45km)
- Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre (47km)
Geography and distances
Orleans is in the western-centre of France - it is the prefecture (capital) of the Loiret department (general information: Orleans is 111 kilometres from Paris).
Geographical Information
Commune: Orleans
Canton: Orléans
Arrondissement: Orléans
Department: Loiret
Region: Loire Valley
New region: Centre-Loire Valley
Postcode: 45000
Distance to Orleans
from Orleans (prefecture): 0 km
from Paris: 111 km
from Calais: 339 km
from Nice: 625 km
from Bordeaux: 390 km
from Strasbourg: 439 km
Getting here
Most visitors will either fly into one of the airports in Paris (Orly / Charles de Gaulle) or come via a ferry from the UK to a port such as Le Havre and Caen, 3-4 hours drive from here. For driving distances to Orleans from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.
We have 12 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Fleury-les-Aubrais, Ingre, La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, Olivet, Saint-Denis-en-Val, Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin, Saint-Jean-de-Braye, Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle, Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, Saint-Pryve-Saint-Mesmin, Saran and Semoy.
This page in French: Visiter Orleans