Travel to Orleans with travel insurance from Essential Travel

click here for an annual uk travel insurance quotation

Information on Orleans with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

Travel to Orleans

Orléans is the northernmost city on the Loire river and is best known for its saint, Jeanne dArc. Orléans features a tangle of ancient buildings which sprawl over the city and the lanes are quite fun to explore. One of the best times to visit is Joan of Arc Day (May 8), when the city is vibrant with parades.

Getting there

Located 20kms to the east of Orléans, the Saint Denis de lHôtel Airport provides air access for light tourist and business aircraft. However, most visitors will fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports. Orléans is only an hour from Paris, and you can drive, or take a train or bus here. Orléans is ideally located on the junction of several major road routes, including: the A10 (Paris-Orléans-Bordeaux) and the RN20 (Paris-Orléans-Toulouse). The SNCF provides 40 connections per day from Paris, taking 55 minutes.

Information on Orleans key attractions

The Cathédrale Ste-Joan is a main feature here, having survived over 600 years of wars. At the end of rue Jeanne-dArc, on place Général-de-Gaulle, is the Maison de Jeanne dArc, an interesting reconstruction of the saints house. Sainte Croix Cathedral is also worth seeing. Musée des Beaux-Arts, opposite the Hôtel de Ville, is home to collections of 14th to 16th century Italian, Dutch and Flemish works, as well as 18th century French portraits which are kept on the first floor. East from here is the medieval University of Orléans. North of the city centre is the Muséum de Sciences Naturelles, also worth visiting. This small museum has a large rooftop tropical greenhouse. For a relaxing picnic, head to Parc Pasteur.

Out and about

Just outside Orléans, Parc Floral covers an area of 35 hectares. It consists of two main parts. The Sologne Plain is an area of semi-natural forest, with hornbeams and oak trees, as well as animal enclosures. Alternatively, the Val de Loire Plain is of horticultural and floral interest. Orléans is a great base from which to explore the entire Loire Valley, the biggest area in France (800km²) ever to have been registered by UNESCO. The Loire Valley is also famous for its châteaux, which are warm, inspiring or strange - and always mesmerising. Some châteaux, like the elegant fortress at Sully-sur-Loire, are reminiscent of the Middle Ages; while others, like that at Chamerolles, are in Renaissance style. Romance can be found at Château de La Bussière.

Leisure options

On rue de Bourgogne youll find a string of nightspots, as well as restaurants serving up French, Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian cuisines. The Centre dArc, a modern shopping centre, is near gare SNCF and houses the local tourist office.

Safety

Tourists can be susceptible to potential hazards when travelling to an unfamiliar environment. Holidaymakers should be wary of pickpockets, especially at night. Outdoor activities and driving can place you at greater risk of having an accident. Language barriers and strange routines can also result in problematic bookings. We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance for you or your family.

Weather in Orleans

Orleans, in the Loire Valley, has a continental climate. The western coast is milder and summer days are generally very hot. The winters can be rather cold with a chance of frost. Daily average temperatures in summer can go up to 25C, and the wettest month is usually August.

back to city guides