Loiret is a medieval fairytale full of castles, gardens and quaint hamlets, where Joan of Arc led a siege. Visit its largest city, Orléans, which has many monuments, museums and a remarkable cathedral that tells the region’s story.
The 13th-century Orléans Cathedral is in the centre of the region’s main city. Appreciate its Gothic design and learn about its association with Joan of Arc, whose story is told in the stained-glass windows. She traveled to Orléans to end a siege and attended an evening Mass here in 1429. This French heroine used her religious faith to help free France from English domination, ending the Hundred Years’ War. She was later burned at the stake by English sympathizers.
Learn more about the French heroine at a 1960s reconstruction of the house where she stayed during the Orléans siege. Watch videos about her life and the Hundred Years’ War. Walk around the medieval centre of Orléans and revel in its charm. For a more rural trip, explore open green spaces and the forest east of the city.
As you meander through the region’s various villages, stop at the beautiful Yèvre le Châtel. It was a strategic defence site in the Middle Ages and is home to a large 13th-century castle. Walk through the ruins and imagine this hamlet during the Hundred Years’ War.
Nearby, walk along the canals of Montargis and capture photos of the many pretty bridges that cross the river. Farther south, see the castle of La Ferté-Saint-Aubin. Tour its 15 furnished rooms and learn about its history.
The region of Loiret is 100 miles (160 kilometres) south of Paris, near the centre of France. Its nearest airport is Orly, in the capital’s southern suburbs. Once in the region, take buses and trains to get around the various villages and towns.
Travelling through Loiret, be surprised and amazed by enormous castles that rise up from tiny hamlets.