Tourist information on Orleans, France

Orléans is a thriving industrial city in north-central France, the capital of both its department, Loiret, and region, Centre. Its position, 130 km from Paris and at the northernmost apex of the River Loire, gave it immense political and commercial importance for much of its history, and explains why it features so prominently in the French history books. Joan of Arc's triumph over the English at Orléans marked a turning point in the 100 Years War and accounts for the abundance of monuments the city offers in honour of its famous Maid. Whilst present day Orléans is a mere shadow of what it was in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it remains a lively and prosperous city through its university and high-tech industries, and its attractive historic centre makes it a popular tourist destination.

Orléans originated as Aurelianum, a Roman city built by the Emperor Aurelian in 273 AD. It was situated on the site of Cenabum, a major trade centre of the Carnute Gauls which was destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC. It subsequently came under the control of the Franks and, on the death of Clovis in 511, became the capital of the newly formed kingdom of Orléans. During the reign of the Emperor Charlemagne in the early 9th century, Orléans grew to become one of the most important cities in France. It continued to prosper as a centre of trade and culture under the dukes of Valois-Orléans (acquiring its university in the early 13th century), and was a major prize for the English when they captured it in the 100 Years War. In May 1429, the city was recovered by French troops led by Joan of Arc, who immediately became a local heroine and acquired the epithet Pucelle d'Orléans (Maid of Orléans). After the Valois dukes succeeded to the French throne (through Louis XII in 1462), Orléans's prosperity and influence increased. The turning point came in the 16th century when the city became a Huguenot centre during the Wars of Religion and was subject to a violent Protestant backlash after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in Paris. Orléans suffered a great deal of damage when it was bombed by the Allies during the Liberation of France in 1944. Today, considerably reduced in size and stature compared with the city it once was, Orléans is an important centre of industry, tourism and education. Its main industries are cosmetics, telecoms, IT, electronics and pharmaceuticals.

Although Orléans was badly scarred by Allied bombardment during WWII, most of its historic architecture remains intact (or has been perfectly restored) so the city has considerable tourist interest. Its most prominent landmark is its cathedral, La Cathédrale Sainte-Croix, which replaced an earlier medieval structure that was destroyed by the Huguenots in 1586. Built between 1601 and 1829 (when it was inaugurated by King Charles X to mark the 400th anniversary of Joan of Arc's victory over the English), the cathedral is a harmonious mix of architectural styles, predominantly Gothic and Neo-gothic. It is 140 metres in length, with five naves and a central spire that soars to a height of 114 metres. Stained glass windows depict the life of Joan of Arc, from her calling to her condemnation. Orléans is particularly well-endowed with ecclesiastical architecture. In common with many churches across France, the Église Notre-Dame-de-Recouvrance, a 16th century construction, was damaged both in the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution. Renovated in the 16th and 19th centuries, it is distinguished by its Renaissance-style chancel from the Second Empire and 16th century stained glass windows. It is named after the mariners who were recovered (recouvrés) after their expeditions on the Loire. Other churches worth seeing include: Église Saint-Euverte (15th-17th century); Église Saint-Pierre du Martroi (16th-19th century); and Église Saint-Donatien (17th century).

Not surprisingly, many of the city's monuments pay tribute to Joan of Arc. Dominating the Place du Martroi, the symbolic heart of Orléans, is a 19th century statue of Joan of Arc on horseback by Denis Foyatier. Damaged in the second world war, this was repaired by the sculptor Paul Belmondo, father of the well-known actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. The Maison de Jeanne d'Arc is the house in which Joan of Arc resided in the spring of 1429 (strictly speaking, it is a reconstruction, since the original house was flattened by bombs during WWII). Orléans stages a festival in honour of Joan of Arc during the first week of May each year, which includes parades, a medieval market and sound-and-light shows.

Around the rue de Bourgogne, in the old centre of the city, there are many fine examples of Renaissance architecture, mostly renovated. The 19th century buildings on the rue de la République and Place du Martroi were only partially damaged during WWII. Hôtel Groslot is a mansion dating from the 16th century which is famous for hosting France's royalty, including several kings (François II, Charles IX, Henri III and Henri IV) and the regent Catherine de Médicis. Situated near the cathedral is the Campo Santo, a grassy cloister dating to the 15th century. Originally, this was the site of Orléans's main cemetery, but it became the city's corn exchange in the 19th century and is now the venue for open-air cultural events. Situated in the southwest of the city's ramparts is the Forteresse du Châtelet. From the 9th century, this was the administrative centre of the Kingdom and Duchy of Orléans. Other notable landmarks include the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the Tour Blanche, the only surviving tower of the original Gallo-Roman fortifications.

Orléans has several interesting museums, foremost of which is its Musée des beaux-arts (fine arts museum). Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest provincial museums in France and has an enormous collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and objets d'art from the 15th to the 20th centuries. The paintings include work by such artists as Tintoret, Velàzquez, van Dyck, Boucher, Delacroix, Corot, Courbet, Gauguin and Pablo Picasso. Other museums of note are: Musée historique et archéologique de l'Orléanais, housed in the Hôtel Cabu and dedicated to the history of the city; Muséum des sciences naturelles, a natural history museum; Centre Charles-Péguy, a museum devoted to the celebrated 19th century writer.

Orléans's abundance of green spaces includes Jardin des plantes, a botanical garden covering an area of 3.5 hectares in the Saint-Marceau district, on the outskirts of the city. It offers a rose garden, an orangery and tropical greenhouses. Equally inviting is the Parc Floral de la Source, a 35 hectare park on the river Loiret, which lies 10 km to the south of the centre of Orléans. Parc Pasteur is an attractive small park in the city centre.

Orleans's two mainline railway stations, Gare d'Orléans and Gare des Aubrais-Orléans, provide connections to Paris, Lille, Tours and several regional destinations. A bus service and tramline operate within the city centre. The nearest international airports to Orléans are Paris-Orly Airport (97 km), Tours Val de Loire Airport (103 km) and Charles De Gaulle International Airport (131 km).