Orleans

Freed by Joan of Arc, bombed in WWII, and rebuilt as a regional center

Orléans suffered some of the heaviest damage in France during World War II, so those hoping to see how it looked when the Maid of Orléans was here are likely to be disappointed. However, the reconstruction of Orléans has been judiciously planned, with many rewarding targets.

Orléans is the chief town of Loiret, on the Loire River, 74 miles southwest of Paris. Joan of Arc freed the city in 1429 from the attacks of the Burgundians and the English. That deliverance is celebrated every year on May 8, the anniversary of her victory. An equestrian statue of Joan of Arc stands in the Place du Martroi, which was created by Foyatier in 1855.

From that square, you can travel down the rue Royale—rebuilt in the 18th-century style—across the Pont George V, erected in 1760. After crossing the bridge you’ll have a good view of the town. A simple cross marks the site of the Fort des Tourelles, which Joan of Arc and her men captured.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.