Orléans
Where can you discover the history of France through fine medieval and Renaissance houses, dance a salsa overlooking the Loire and cycle along the quayside beside the river ? In Orléans, of course !
Welcome to Orléans !
As you have realised, Orléans is a great place for a family holiday or a get-together with friends in a City Break gite in the city centre. Couples and solo visitors can enjoy a stay at one of the pretty B&Bs in the city which has a long tradition of hospitality.
Sight-seeing in Orléans
Now only an hour from Paris, Orléans has come a long way from the ancient Gallic town, historic capital of Clovis and city famously freed from the clutches of the English by Joan of Arc in 1429. Explore the city by walking from Place to Place (square to square). The Place du Martroi at the heart of the city has been totally redeveloped around the statue of its heroine.
A short walk through the arches of the Rue Royale to the east, the Place du Général de Gaulle overlooks the two tramways, symbols of the city’s modernity, facing Joan of Arc’s house, while to the west lies the Place Sainte Croix and the historic cathedral.
Walk past restored Renaissance buildings, like the 16th century Hôtel Groslot, through the pedestrianised medieval district with its host of colourful, half-timbered houses to the Place de la Loire.
Orléans, the banks of the Loire
The Place du Châtelet and Place de la République in the Bourgogne district are lively spots by day and night with local markets and shops, restaurants and bars.
The city has many unusual art venues like the FRAC regional centre for contemporary art and architectural research. It also has a full programme of festive events in the parks and gardens beside the river Loire and on the river itself (Festival de Loire).
Not far from Orléans
The Parc Floral de la Source is an absolute must to visit, 10km from the city at Orléans-la Source,.
An enchanting place to visit
On the edge of the Sologne hills and the plain of Val de Loire, the Parc Floral de la Source is the work of many generations of gardeners in the horticultural tradition of the Loiret region. The park has thousands of trees, many centuries old, criss-crossed with splendid pathways leading to gardens featuring an ever-increasing number of botanical collections. The ‘Jardin Remarquable’ has gardens devoted to irises, roses and dahlias, a vegetable garden, fuchsia collection and lots more.
The park is also home to 350 animals, mostly birds from Africa, Oceania and Asia, plus a butterfly house. A crazy golf, play parks, picnic areas, little train and quadricycles complete the range of attractions and facilities.
Travel around Loiret with Gîtes de France Loiret : Parc Floral de la Source, Château de Beaugency, Forêt d'Orléans
How to get to Orléans :
By road
A10 Chartres, Paris, Lille, Brussels
A10 Tours, Bordeaux, Spain, Portugal
A6, N60 Lyon (liaison A10- A6 via A19)
A71 Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, Spain, Italy
By rail : From Paris (gare d’Austerlitz), to Orléans or Les Aubrais,
By air : Loiret airport, 15 minutes from Orléans
By bus from Paris region : Ouibus, Flixbus and Isilines
SatNav : Latitude : 47.902633 | Longitude : 1.909284"
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