ORLEANS
5th-8th May
ORLEANS IS ALL ABOUT ST JOAN!
We left Ver-le-Chartres in the morning, intent on re-visiting Joan of Arc’s city of Orleans, where she led the French army to finally rout the English invaders. The city has so many relics of her, including the house she made her headquarters when she was riding high. This 17-year old peasant girl had led the French army to defeat the English, and saw the crown placed on the head of the Dauphin in Rheims, where on a previous holiday Graham snapped one of her most delightful statues. (click here to see that blog)
ORLEANS – SAINT JOAN OF ARC’S HOUSE.
ON A PREVIOUS HOLIDAY…
We had already spent one morning in Orleans in 2015, where we had concentrated on the beautiful Cathedral. (Click here to see that Blog) (Because the sun was behind it when Graham took the photograph above, you can not appreciate the striking whiteness of its stone.) Also, we had visited the Place de Martyrs with its large and impressive statue of Joan, sword in hand, astride her horse.
MORE PLACES TO SEE
Now we were anxious to see the medieval old centre.
This time we walked different streets, and presently came upon a very old half-timbered house. The plaque on the door announced its importance:
‘Maison de Jeanne d’Arc’
ORLEANS – SURELY ST JEANNE D’ARC’S HOUSE DESERVES FRESH FLOWERS?
We had found the house that Joan had made her headquarters. The frontage was decorated lavishly with troughs of plastic flowers. Surely Orleans is an important enough city to have afforded to grow a few fresh ones… Anyway, here I am, standing outside.
ORLEANS – THE MEDIEVAL STREETS
There were several medieval streets, but somehow they looked over-restored, and every ground floor had been taken over and altered for shops and cafes, etc.
ORLEANS – WHO VISITS THE LAND OF GOURMETS TO DEMAND FISH’N’CHIPS?
One place actually had a sign in English boasting ‘Fish and Chips and Chicken and Chips’. It made me curl in shame for any of my compatriots who would need such rubbish in France; famous the world over for its gastronomy.
ORLEANS – CLEARING MY PATH:
As I scooted along I found an animated group of people chatting all across the pavement–cum-road. All noticed me except one voluble chap. Nobody could grab his attention so I shouted ‘Beep-beep’ to the amusement of all his friends. It shifted him.
ORLEANS – PHOTOGRAPHING THE CATHEDRAL
Then we sought out the cathedral so that Graham could use his new camera to take better pictures. By this time we decided we had seen enough of Orleans for that day – Graham had done a lot of walking, and I was tired.
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
