Orléans

A historic city at the eastern end of the Loire Valley, where Joan of Arc lifted the siege, with a Gothic cathedral, a riverside old town, and Sully-sur-Loire's château and gardens nearby.

Orléans lies about 130 km south of Paris on the north bank of the Loire. It is the capital of the Centre-Val de Loire region and the eastern gateway to the Loire Valley World Heritage Site. In 1429 Joan of Arc lifted the English siege here, and her mark is everywhere: in the cathedral's stained glass, the equestrian statue on Place du Martroi and the Maison de Jeanne d'Arc. The Joan of Arc Festival, from late April to 8 May, is the city's biggest event. The old town lies between the cathedral, Place du Martroi and the riverfront, with the Hôtel Groslot, the Musée des Beaux-Arts and Rue de Bourgogne all within walking distance; the Parc Floral de la Source is on the southern edge of town. For day trips, head east along the river to Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, the Oratory of Germigny-des-Prés, the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire and the Château de Sully-sur-Loire, and as far as Gien and the Briare Aqueduct; or west to Meung-sur-Loire and Beaugency. Chambord and the other great châteaux are covered under the Loire Valley destination. The best season is April–October, and in summer you can cycle the Loire riverside bike paths. Trains from Paris Austerlitz take about 1 hour, and the city has two tram lines. Allow 1–2 days.

Top sights

• Orléans Cathedral (Cathédrale Sainte-Croix) – An Orléans landmark with soaring Gothic twin towers, stained-glass windows that tell the life of Joan of Arc, and a light show on the façad…
• Maison de Jeanne d'Arc – A reconstruction of the timber-framed house where Joan of Arc stayed during the 1429 relief of Orléans, with multimedia displays on her leg…
• Château de Sully-sur-Loire – A moated medieval castle and the residence of the Duke of Sully, a minister of Henry IV. Its wooden roof frame is a masterpiece of craftsma…
• Place du Martroi – The main square in the center of Orléans, with an equestrian bronze of Joan of Arc and cafés around it. It is the starting point for explor…
• Hôtel Groslot – A 16th-century Renaissance mansion of red brick, once a royal lodging and later the town hall, with lavish interior halls open to visitors…
• Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans – One of France's oldest art museums, with European paintings, pastels and sculpture from the 15th to 20th centuries. Velázquez and Gauguin a…
• Quais de Loire & Pont George-V – An 18th-century stone bridge links the old town with the left bank. Along the riverside path, traditional wooden barges can be seen, and op…
• Rue de Bourgogne – A pedestrian street in the old town, following an ancient Roman main road, with restaurants and bars in half-timbered houses. It is the cen…
• Hôtel Cabu – Musée d'Histoire et d'Archéologie – A history museum housed in a Renaissance mansion, whose highlight is the Gallo-Roman bronze animal figures from the Neuvy-en-Sullias treasu…
• Collégiale Saint-Aignan – The patron saint's church of Orléans, with an 11th-century Romanesque crypt below, one of the largest Romanesque crypts in France.
• Jardin de l'Évêché – A formal terraced French garden behind the cathedral, with close views of the Gothic apse and flying buttresses.
• Campo Santo – A 16th-century former cemetery, with arcades surrounding a lawn. It is now used for markets, exhibitions and summer concerts.
• Les Turbulences – FRAC Centre-Val de Loire – A contemporary art center known for its collection of avant-garde and experimental architecture, whose metallic 'Turbulences' facade lights…
• MOBE – Muséum d'Orléans pour la Biodiversité et l'Environnement – A natural history museum reopened in 2021, focused on ecology and the biodiversity of the Loire, with a greenhouse garden on its roof.
• Parc Floral de la Source – A large floral park at the source of the Loiret River, famed for its rose and iris gardens and butterfly greenhouse, where visitors can als…
• Oratory of Germigny-des-Prés – One of France's oldest churches, built in 806, whose dome preserves rare original Carolingian mosaics, the only ones of their kind survivin…
• Abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (Fleury Abbey) – A Romanesque abbey housing the relics of Saint Benedict, whose sculpted capitals on the western porch tower are masterpieces of French Roma…
• Château & Park of Châteauneuf-sur-Loire – Remnants of a 17th-century château set in English-style gardens, famed for its May rhododendron displays, and home to a Loire River navigat…
• Château de Meung-sur-Loire – The bishops' castle of Orléans, with an 18th-century mansion on one side and a medieval fortress on the other, and dungeons where the poet…
• Beaugency – A medieval town on the Loire with a 22-arch bridge, an 11th-century Caesar's Tower and well-preserved stone lanes, ideal for a half-day str…
• Château de La Ferté-Saint-Aubin – A red-brick château in the Sologne region, marketed as a 'château you can touch,' where visitors can enter the kitchens and stables, with a…
• Château de Chamerolles – A Renaissance château at the edge of the Orléans forest, famed for its perfume history museum and a reconstructed 16th-century garden.
• Château de Gien – A red-brick château built in the late 15th century by Anne de Beaujeu, the starting point of the Loire Valley château chain, now a hunting…
• Pont-canal de Briare – A steel canal bridge completed in 1896 that carries canal boats across the Loire, 662 meters long, with elegant lamp posts along its deck.

Where to eat

• Le Lièvre Gourmand – Creative restaurant on the Loire riverbank where the chef weaves Asian travel inspirations into a single tasting menu…
• La Dariole – Michelin Recommended restaurant in a 15th-century half-timbered house near the cathedral, with a seasonal menu that cha…
• L'Hibiscus – Understated little restaurant on rue de Bourgogne, where chef Céline Lefebvre's short set menu changes with the seasons…
• Le Brin de Zinc – A “museum bistro” filled with vintage antiques, known for Orléans braised chicken in vinegar and Jargeau sausage among…
• Le P'tit Gavroche – Highly rated family-run bistro on rue de Bourgogne, known for cheese fondue and homemade steak frites, and near the top…

Itineraries

• Loire à Vélo: Orléans to Nantes – Cycle from east to west along the Loire à Vélo trail, passing through the châteaux region and vineyards to Nantes.