The capital of the Loire Valley, Orléans (ohr-lay-ahn) compensates for its lack of lewd nightclubs and youth culture with its phenomenal amount of history. Joan of Arc, aptly known as the “Maid of Orléans,” marched armies down these crooked cobbled streets when she liberated the city from a brutal seven-month English siege in 1429, a victory which rejuvenated French forces and contributed to their victory in the Hundred Years War. Medieval studies nerds eager to submerge themselves in all things pertaining to infected rats and feudal cat fights will find themselves completely at home here. The historic petit vieille ville and its tremendous Cathedral lie at the heart of Orléans, complete with the patisseries and boulangeries of any traditional French town. Though Orléans should definitely make an appearance on your Loire Valley itinerary, don't anticipate spending more than a few days (or even a day) here— unless, of course, you are a Joan of Arc fanatic and just can't get enough of her. The city devolves into a bustling but run-of-the-mill commercial area further out of the center, with shops and suburban streets which do not compare to the visual beauties on offer closer to the downtown.
The main train station, Gare d'Orléans connects to the other train station Gare Les Aubrais by a shuttle which runs roughly every half hour (€1.20). You can reach Gare Les Aubrais from Paris Charles ...more
The historic sights of Orléans are all within walking distance of the train station, and are so close to each other that you need not worry about taking public transport in between museums and buildings ...more
Orléans isn't exactly thriving with budget hotels and funky hostels, but this does not mean that finding a bargain abode around town is impossible. Websites specializing in cheap hotel rooms often provide ...more
Restaurants in Orléans serve classic French cuisine and tastes from around the globe. If you're on a budget, check out the Carrefour supermarket, which can be found above of the train station at Place ...more
The majority of the sights in Orléans are situated in and around Pl. St Croix in the shadow its overbearring Cathedral. It is possible to walk between the major historical sights on your own, though the ...more
The campus of Orléans’s university lies on the town’s outskirts, so the city’s central nightlife is liveliest on weekends. Like most French towns, Orléans has a token pub-crawl street, rue de Bourgogne ...more
Both the Cado and La Scene Nationale d'Orléans are based at the Théâtre d'Orléans, but they offer different types of performances. The Théâtre d'Orléans is situated in the northeast part of Orléans ...more
Though plenty of tourists hire a car to reach the surrounding Châteaux from Orléans, taking the good old fashioned bus is both the cheaper and simpler option. Buses run from the Gare Routière (2 rue ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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