In the centre of Orléans' main square, a bronze statue (1855) depicts Joan of Arc atop a prancing steed; nearby there's a carousel (merry-go-round). A food market sets up here on Friday evening from about 4pm to 10pm.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.93 MILES
If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord is the most lavish of them all, and the…
0.28 MILES
In a country of jaw-dropping churches, Gothic-style Cathédrale Ste-Croix still raises a gasp. Originally built in the 13th century, it underwent tinkering…
-
0.27 MILES
Orléans’ five-level fine-arts museum is a treat, with an excellent collection of Italian, Flemish and Dutch paintings (including works by Correggio,…
-
17.3 MILES
One of France’s few Carolingian-era churches, this exceptional oratory – sadly, over-restored in the mid-19th century – is renowned for its unusual…
-
26.34 MILES
The 54-sq-km hunting reserve around the Château de Chambord – the largest walled park in Europe – is reserved for the exclusive use of very high-ranking…
-
23.85 MILES
With its machicolated ramparts (featuring holes for pouring boiling liquid on attackers), soaring round turrets and steeply pitched roof, this fairy-tale…
-
CERCIL – Musée-Mémorial des Enfants du Vel d'Hiv
0.42 MILES
Between 1941 and 1943, more than 16,000 Jews were interned in two camps about 50km northeast of Orléans, Beaune-la-Rolande and Pithiviers. The adults were…
-
19.74 MILES
Home to about 40 Benedictine monks, this abbey – shut down during the Revolution and reopened in 1944 – is known for its Romanesque basilica, whose 11th…
Nearby Orléans attractions
Depicting St Joan atop a prancing steed, this huge bronze statue (1855) by Denis Foyatier is in the centre of place du Martroi.
0.12 MILES
An excellent 15-minute film (in French or English) tracing Joan of Arc's origins, accomplishments and historical impact is the main attraction at the…
3. Musée d'Histoire et d'Archéologie
0.12 MILES
The centrepiece of this history museum, in the Renaissance-style Hôtel Cabu, is an extraordinary collection of Celtic and Gallo-Roman bronzes, recovered…
0.21 MILES
The Renaissance-style Hôtel Groslot was built between 1530 and 1550 as a private mansion for lawyer and bailiff Jacques Groslot; it became Orléans’ city…
0.27 MILES
Orléans’ five-level fine-arts museum is a treat, with an excellent collection of Italian, Flemish and Dutch paintings (including works by Correggio,…
0.28 MILES
In a country of jaw-dropping churches, Gothic-style Cathédrale Ste-Croix still raises a gasp. Originally built in the 13th century, it underwent tinkering…
7. CERCIL – Musée-Mémorial des Enfants du Vel d'Hiv
0.42 MILES
Between 1941 and 1943, more than 16,000 Jews were interned in two camps about 50km northeast of Orléans, Beaune-la-Rolande and Pithiviers. The adults were…
8. Musée de la Marine de Loire
14.79 MILES
Well-presented exhibits tell the story of how a river that's basically non-navigable was used for commerce using ultra-shallow-draft (70cm) boats…