Orleans

Introduction

Orléans sits in north-central France, roughly 120 kilometres southwest of Paris, and serves as the prefecture of the Loiret department within the Centre-Val de Loire region. Use it as a base for exploring this part of the Loire valley, with the French capital within easy reach to the northeast.

Before you go

Getting there

To reach Orléans by air, fly into one of the two Paris airports. Most international carriers serve Charles de Gaulle, while most low-cost carriers use Orly, which is slightly closer to Orléans if you are driving. Neither airport offers direct services to the city, so you will most likely need to transfer in Paris.

By train, intercity services run from Paris (from Gare d'Austerlitz), from Nantes via Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, and from Toulouse via Limoges. Note that most long-distance trains do not call at the central station but at Les Aubrais railway station north of the city centre, which is connected to the centre by tramway. Regional trains, along with a few direct trains from Paris Austerlitz, call at both Les Aubrais and the central Orléans railway station next to Place Jean d'Arc. By car, take the A10 motorway south-west from Paris, or the toll-free N20, which runs straight from Paris to Orléans but takes you through a number of villages and can be a bit longer than the highway.

Getting around

For the historic centre, your best options are your own two feet or a bike. The centre is compact and largely pedestrianised, so walking is the most practical way to get around. Bike rental stations across the city let you pick up a bike at one point and drop it off at another for a small fee. For attractions further out, particularly the Parc Floral, the tram and bus are useful.

Local transit is run by TAO Orléans, covering trams, buses, bike rental, car parking and park and ride. Two tram lines cross at the de Gaulle stop in the centre: Line A runs roughly north–south to the university and the suburb of Olivet, and Line B runs east–west. Trams come every 10 minutes during the day and every 20–30 minutes in the evening. Buses are centred on the Gare d'Orléans and mainly serve residential areas rather than the historic centre, so they're most useful for outlying attractions or accommodation. The same tickets work on bus and tram, and you can buy them ahead of time at machines at every tram stop (cards and cash accepted) or pay cash on board buses, where cards are not accepted; validate your ticket at the start of each journey. Downloadable route maps and a journey planner are on the TAO website, which has usable English translation. Note that Google Maps does not know about the trams or buses in Orléans, so don't rely on it for transit information. Driving in the pedestrianised centre is difficult and parking there is near-impossible; paid parking exists on main streets outside the centre, with large garages nearer in and cheaper park and ride further out.

Where to stay

For budget stays, a youth hostel (auberge de jeunesse) sits on rue Croix Péchée in Orléans itself, a straightforward base for exploring the city. If you'd rather be in the countryside, the Parc des Alicourts is a four-star campsite and spa around 40 km south of Orléans on the road toward Bourges. It's a full holiday centre, with a fishing lake, an aqua park with four pools, a health spa with a hydrotherapy centre, and a mix of camping pitches, chalets, cottages and a villa to rent. It also has several treehouses, some set up for family holidays and others for a cozy couple's weekend, and it runs special offers on family holidays, camping weekends and spa breaks.

In the mid-range bracket, the Hôtel de l'Abeille on rue d'Alsace Lorraine is a charming old building with wooden interiors, floral wallpapers and an early-1900s atmosphere. It's convenient for transport, roughly 300 m from Orléans central railway station and 200 m from the "Gare d'Orléans" tram stop, and the staff are friendly and accommodating. Note that it isn't accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Food & drink

Orléans has a compact but varied eating scene. For Italian food, Pizzeria Capri on Rue du Faubourg Madeleine serves pizza and pasta, while La Tavola in Les Halles is an Italian restaurant where you enter through the kitchen and the pizza and pasta are made by an Italian. Sushi is available at Tokyo on Place du Chatelet and at Sushi Ninja on Rue de Bourgogne, which offers eat-in or takeaway and is noted for its sushi rice. El Tio on rue Notre Dame de Recouvrance serves Spanish food and wines and also sells Spanish products such as spices, sweets and ham. For French cooking with local favourites and classic dishes, try Le Brin de Zinc on Rue Sainte-Catherine, which has a varied menu, specials boards outside, an English menu, an outside terrace and some English-speaking staff. Angkor on Rue de Bourgogne serves a Cambodian menu of classic dishes, some with the house "Angkor" sauce in the style of a yellow curry. For dessert, Glaces Moustache on Rue Jeanne d'Arc, just off the cathedral square, sells many flavours of ice cream and sorbet, open daily until late evening including Sundays, for takeaway or at its small tables.

Rue de Bourgogne holds most of the city's bars, pubs and nightlife. Le Petit Barcelone on Rue de Bourgogne has a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of tables for sitting around with friends, and Le Paxton's Head on the same street offers karaoke. Havana Cafe on Place du Chatelet has indoor and outdoor seating and is good for drinks with friends. Antidote on Rue de l'Empereur is a cosmopolitan bar with a mixed crowd, serving beer, sangria and a good collection of wines, plus French snacks such as cheese or charcuterie, and suits people who like rock music. L'Amazone on Rue de Faubourg Madeleine is a nightclub playing African zouk, reggae and hip hop. The Loire river bank is popular with young students for weekend drinking, and concerts are held along the river in summer.

What to see and do

Start with the Gothic Cathédrale Sainte-Croix, whose spires you can spot above the rooftops from much of town. From there, follow the Joan of Arc trail: the Maison de Jeanne d’Arc and the statue on the Martroi plaza are both worth a stop, and reminders of her liberation of the city turn up on streets all over the centre. The Musée des Beaux Arts and the Musée historique et archéologique de l’Orléanais cover art and local history, while the Hôtel Groslot, the city’s former town hall, opens its extravagantly decorated rooms to visitors, with carved wood, gold leaf and original furniture; an English guidebook is available. South of downtown you’ll find the Parc Floral, and the Pont de l’Europe crosses the Loire.

The best way to get a feel for the city is simply to walk the centre or follow the banks of the Loire, stopping at the boulangeries as you go. For a waterside stroll, head to the small river Loiret, which runs from La Source to the Loire and has good spots for a picnic or for playing outside. In the first week of May the city celebrates Joan of Arc with parades, demonstrations, a medieval market and sound and light shows. If you want to unwind, billiards is popular and there are many pool salons around town. L’Astrolabe is a concert hall for modern music, reggae, percussion, techno and French song, and also houses an ice-skating rink and a dojo. About ten minutes from the centre by car, the Étang de l’Île Charlemagne is a lake where it is safe to swim.

When to go

Orléans has an oceanic climate, so think mild and damp rather than extreme. Winters are dim and grey, with frequent rain, high humidity and the odd cold snap that brings frost; December is the least sunny month, so short daylight hours feel damp and overcast. Summers are the warmest and sunniest stretch of the year, with highs around the mid-twenties, somewhat lower humidity and fewer rain days than the rest of the year, though showers still pass through. This is when the city's outdoor life is at its busiest.

Spring and autumn fall between the two, with moderate sunshine, humidity that stays high outside summer, and rain spread across the months — expect changeable, often damp days rather than reliably dry or hot ones. Rain falls fairly evenly all year, so pack for wet weather whenever you visit, and lean towards summer if you want the best chance of sunshine.

Three days in Orleans

Day one: Arrive in Orléans from Paris, most easily by train from Gare d'Austerlitz or Gare Montparnasse, or by air via Charles de Gaulle or Orly. Neither is far. By rail, note that some services stop at Les Aubrais rather than the central station, so check before you set out. Once settled, orient yourself around Place du Martroi and the old town, then follow the Loire, which defines the city's shape and mood. For getting around, the local TAO Orléans network and two tram lines cover the centre well, and a bike is a good way to see the riverbanks.

• Arrive by train from Paris Austerlitz or by air via Charles de Gaulle or Orly
• Check whether your train stops at Les Aubrais or the central station
• Walk the old town around Place du Martroi
• Follow the Loire on foot or by bike

Day two: Give the day to the river and the green spaces along it. The Parc Floral is the city's best-known garden and makes a relaxed half-day, especially in warm weather. In the afternoon, use the TAO Orléans tram or bus to reach the Loire's banks and walk or cycle between the bridges, taking in views of the river and the old quarter. The city is compact enough that you can cover a lot without rushing.

• Spend the morning at the Parc Floral
• Use the TAO Orléans network to reach the riverbanks
• Walk or cycle between the bridges

Day three: Use your last day for the wider region. The Loiret and the Centre-Val de Loire are within easy reach by train or car, and the Loire itself is the thread that ties the area together. If you are returning to Paris, regional services connect Orléans with the capital, and the journey is short enough to leave the afternoon free. Before you go, take one last walk through the old town and along the river.

• Explore the Loiret and Centre-Val de Loire by train or car
• Return to Paris on a regional service
• Take a final walk through the old town and along the Loire