Discover Orleans by Hire Car
Orleans is a major city on the picturesque Loire River in the heart of France, with a population of just under 115,000 in an area of around 28 square kilometres.
Originally founded as a Celtic settlement under the name Cenabum, it was given the name Aurelian during Roman rule, from which Orleans developed.
A hire car will give you the independence you need to explore the city and its surroundings.
Sights in Orleans
One of the most significant sights in Orleans is certainly the 13th-century Ste-Croix Cathedral. Some windows in the Gothic building even commemorate the city’s heroine, Joan of Arc, who prevented Orleans from falling into the hands of the English during the 100 Years War in 1429. This not only earned her the nickname ‘Maid of Orleans’, but also a festival held in her honour every May. However, the church has been rebuilt several times throughout history, so that different architectural styles of various eras can be seen here.
The spirit of Joan of Arc also reigns in downtown Orleans. In the centre of town, a larger-than-life 19th-century equestrian statue of the saint flaunts the Place du Martroi. The houses around the square have been lovingly restored in the style of the period. Picturesque 16th- and 17th-century town houses can be found mainly in Rue d?Escure and Rue Sainte-Anne.
Orleans City of Churches
Orleans, however, is also the city of churches.
Besides Saint-Donatien, part of which dates back to the 13th century, and Notre-Dame-de-Recouvrance from the Renaissance period, as well as Saint-Paul, whose destruction during the Second World War preserved only the tower where Joan of Arc prayed, the church of Saint-Aignan, with its Romanesque crypt, is the most interesting.
Orleans, is ideal to explore with a hire car.
hire car price comparison Orleans
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Road Trip France - a country of many facets