So here I am on a bit of a black and white series again to tell you a sort of introduction to the historical city of Orléans! Of course, this is an update of an older post which again brings back many nice family visits. Do read/see my several posts on the city in my blog. Therefore, here is my short take on this is Orléans !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
A while back I wrote in my blog about this wonderful town of Orleans. Pictures elsewhere in my blog on its many posts. It is often overlook but it is loaded of the great history of France. Easiest way to get here is on the A10 from Paris direction Bordeaux or the train with two stations ,the gare d’Orléans, right in city center and very nice and the one on the nearby northern town of Fleury-les-Aubrais, both link by bus navette and a tramway. The Gare d’Orléans or train station with a nice shopping center
Place d’Arc as well as bus terminal all in one. We saw two nice tramways passing by but hesitate on taken them as we were walking, simply better. For the memories the tramways , first one passing Rue Royale and the other one Place du Martroi. They too use the TAO network The public transport TAO network in the area of Orléans métropole and connections between the train stations are: https://www.tao-mobilites.fr/fr/
The city center around the place du Martroi, is wonderful central square where all goes on, The place du Martroi, symbolic heart of the city has a huge equestrian statue of Jeanne d’Arc where she is bigger than the horse, at WWII this sculpture was partially destroyed and it was rebuilt by sculptor Paul Belmondo ,father of the famous actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (recently passed away). There is ,also, a wonderful carrousel here , and criss cross by a multitude of public transport like tramways! You need to be here!!!
The Hôtel Saint Aignan, 3 place Gambetta is close to all amenities (shops, cultural and administrative places) in Orléans, The Saint-Aignan is a hotel, with modern architecture, newly renovated, with an elevator. It is 200 meters from the Saint-Aignan SNCF train station, the proximity with the abundance of places to visit such as the imposing Place du Martroi, and the House of Joan of Arc. The Gothic Sainte-Croix Cathedral is just 900 meters away and the iconic streets of Bourgogne or Empereur are a few hundred meters away.This was a great find centrally located , we parked underground there, and walk all over!!! We had a family room in the 4th floor all by ourselves!! webpage: https://www.hotel-saintaignan.com/
Le Brin de Zinc is located at 62-64 rue Sainte Catherine. We were walking the beat after arriving at the hotel and passed by it on our way to the cathedral. We saw we like the ambiance and presentation and took reservation for the evening meal at 19h Great deal and glad we did. We were there with our dog Rex and all went well. The bistro propose at apéro time (sort of like happy hour/after work) dishes where you can share from different gastronomic themes . The ardoises or black board menus can be taken as entrées, and are very varied. You have several dishes to choose from from fish to meats, cocottes mussels, etc Le Brin de Zinc, also propose burgers, which I took the Zinc burger, and fries, A platter of café gourmand, and plenty of Licorne Alsacien beer pints ! A wonderful evening indeed. webpage: https://lebrindezinc.fr/
The city of Orléans has been designated as the Capital of the new region of Centre-Val-de-Loire been only about 120 km from Paris. The city is nice ,really, if overlook by many visitors, very good ambiance. The city center around the place du Martroi, is wonderful central square where all goes on; the Loire river passes right in the center, the quais or wharfs along the river are full of walkers and meeting place to go into exploring the city ; also the site of the great Festival de Loire, the biggest gathering in Europe on river cruising (next schedule Sept 22-26 2021). Of course, it is also a city of art and history of France or Ville d’Art et d’Histoire; it is a stage for the bicycle riders in the circuit Loire à vélo, and at the gate to the castles of the valley of the Loire. The story of Jeanne d’Arc was what brought me first to this city and it is wonderful for the history lover like me. The city has nice Christmas market and Jazz by the Bishop event as well as the magnificent Festival of Jeanne d’Arc.
Anyway, the main thing to come to this city other than walking the wharfs of the Loire river are the house and traces of Joan of Arc ,is the Cathedral of Sainte Croix.(see post). The Cathedral was inaugurated on 8th May 1829, 400 years after the liberation of Orléans by Jeanne d’Arc on a gothic style of 140 meters long, 53 meters façade and 114 meters on the spiral tower.
As the circuit of Joan of Arc or Jeanne d’Arc is to follow these monuments.sites (some with separate post in my blog). Place du Martroi, Hôtel Groslot, fine arts museum or musée de Beaux-Arts, Cathédrale Sainte Croix, hotel Cabu or the museum of history and archeology ; Chapelle Notre Dame des Miracles in the Church St Paul; rue Jeanne d’Arc, the ramparts of the city from the 15C , it had one there since the 4C! and was enlarged in the 14C with some walls left still . You have the white tower or Tour Blanche and a section of the Roman curtain, more on the north the wall is seen on the court or cour de l’ancien évêché and near the Cathedral ; there is a bridge giving to the square or porte du Martroi that still be seen in the parking under the square. To extreme west of the square martroi you see parts of the wall as well on the streets or rue du Cloître-Saint-Paul ,and rue de la Chèvre-qui-Danse. Of course , the main thing is the Maison de Jeanne d’Arc or house of Joanne of Arc. She stayed here from April to May 1429 and now a nice museum with a multimedia presentation retracing her life. On the upper floors there is a recherché center with over 37000 documents on her. (see post).
Of course, Orléans is a lot older since the times of Cenabum ! going thru all the periods of French history, too long to tell you here. Stronghold of the war of 1870 with the Prussians and during WWII the city was again ransacked and bombed until liberated on August 1944 by the troops of Gen Patton, US 3rd Army. On the other side of the Atlantic ocean, New Orleans is named in honor of the regent duke of Orleans for Louis XV and inhabited with about 8K French and Arcadians running away from the British in the Northeast USA.
Other information to tell you about this city is the nice park or Parc Pasteur by the northern corners of the city center created in 1927 over the old workers garden that were on a disinfected cemetery of Saint Vincent. There is a monumental gate of Saint Samson from the 17C a great water basin, even if the children theater, and vapor train are no longer in action (train given by Wichita Kansas USA in 1952) unfortunately both were closed in 2017. Another nice park is Parc Floral de la Source , bigger than above with an iris garden, rose garden, rock garden, vegetable garden, dahlia garden, Asian garden, grassland garden, tropical garden, strips of perennials, collections of pelargoniums, a display of fuchsias, animal park, exotic birds, butterfly house, animal feeding and adventure playgrounds for younger visitors..etc.
The city of Orléans on its heritage: https://www.orleans.fr/que-faire-a-orleans/patrimoine-tourisme
The Orléans tourist office on its heritage: https://www.tourisme-orleansmetropole.com/visiter-orleans-sinspirer/patrimoine-et-culture/sites-et-monuments-a-orleans-et-autour/
The dept 45 Loiret tourist office on Orléans: https://www.tourismeloiret.com/fr/decouvrir/les-incontournables-made-loiret/orleans-la-chatoyante
There you go folks,hope you have enjoy the post on the historical wonderful city of Orléans , in my belle France. Again, hope you enjoy my post on this is Orléans !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 