Hello everyone. In my previous post I talked about our château tour in Orléans. Today I want to share our experience exploring the city of Orléans and what we did during our first two days there. The weather in Lyon wasn’t very warm and the sun was nowhere to be seen. However, in Orléans, it was 21 degrees and the forecast showed no rain. Although it was cloudy, we were glad it wouldn’t be cold. On the way, we spotted a McDonald’s and decided to stop because I was craving ice cream. Even though it wasn’t particularly hot, I still wanted some. My friend opted for a milkshake. I always enjoy stopping by McDonald’s during trips. It adds a vacation vibe. We also got a meal for two because, even though we’d already had breakfast, we felt like eating.
As we got closer to the city, the weather improved significantly compared to Lyon. The sun came out and the clouds cleared. When we arrived in the city, I had no idea what to expect or what it would be like.
We reached the hotel where we were staying and settled into our room. The room turned out to be much better than I expected. As soon as you walked in, there was a spacious corridor with a small balcony at the end. There was also a wardrobe with plenty of space for our belongings. Despite being a standard and budget-friendly room, it even had a kitchenette. It was equipped with a small table, a refrigerator, a mini kitchen, a microwave and a coffee maker, everything we needed.
After unpacking we headed out to explore the city. At first glance the city seemed small and peaceful. On our way to the hotel we had noticed a fountain and a cathedral, so we decided to walk in that direction. Since it was Sunday many places were closed.
We arrived at the square with the statue of Joan of Arc. A few restaurants around the square were open and the sunlight beautifully illuminated the area. The houses were light-colored, charming and had a historical feel. The building that housed the city’s chamber of commerce was probably a museum. From there we wandered into a street that reminded us of Strasbourg. The buildings and streets were beautiful.
We came across a street adorned with large flags. At the end of the street was a grand cathedral, so we walked toward it. There was a tram line and people resting in the shade. Inside the cathedral it was vast, with stained glass windows and historical paintings.
It’s a brown wooden building known locally as Joan of Arc's home. Unfortunately, it was closed, so we could only see it from the outside.
We then made our way to the banks of the Loire river. The current was strong and the surroundings were lush and green, reminding me of river landscapes in Finland. There were pedestrian bridges across the river and informational panels mentioned that the river stretches 1006 kilometers. There was a gentle breeze, but the weather was lovely.
Feeling tired we sat down at a café. Since it was Sunday, finding an open spot was challenging, but we eventually managed. Our food arrived and we also ordered some apéritifs. I had a gin tonic, while my friend opted for the cocktail of the day. However, their cocktail turned out to be enormous, which gave us a good laugh.
They brought "playing cards" with our meals. My friend tried to make a Royal Flush but couldn’t due to missing cards. We had a lot of fun and rested after the meal.
Even though we were on vacation, we kept up with our gym routine. Afterward, we got ready and headed out to explore Orléans. The weather wasn’t great in the morning, but it improved later. By the way, we discovered a fantastic feature of our gym membership. It allows us access to all branches of the same chain across Europe. Using the card I got in Lyon, we worked out at the gym here and had a great session.
Orléans is a city that celebrates Joan of Arc in many ways. She was a remarkable woman who greatly aided the French army during the Hundred Years War. She led France’s forces against England, helped the king ascend to the throne, but was later captured and burned at the stake for being accused of witchcraft and heresy. Her name was eventually cleared and she was declared a saint. Orléans is filled with places honoring her memory.
The entrance fee was 8 euros, but we got in for free with our student cards. Inside there were a few interactive screens showing the locations of her battles. However, the museum was quite small, just one room with an 8-minute video. If we had paid the full price, I think we would’ve been disappointed. After leaving the museum, we explored a nearby garden.
Later we spontaneously decided to take a mini train tour around the city. We saw it by chance and thought it would be fun. The train took us to some interesting spots around the city. We ended up at a park with a butterfly garden. Butterflies were flying all around us, but I was nervous about them landing on me. We also watched some butterflies emerge from their cocoons, which was fascinating.
There were donkeys, peacocks, ponies and a few other animals. When the peacock spread its tail, it looked stunning. We also spent some time with the pigs and other animals there.
After spending one more day in Orléans, we headed to Paris. Thank you for reading this post.