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Photo © MDLF/CRT Centre - Val de Loire/P. Duriez

Orleans, located about an hour southwest of Paris, is inextricably connected with Joan of Arc, the "Maid of Orleans" and the patron saint of France, whose memory is honored throughout the city. Joan left her small village of Domremy in Eastern France, and in 1429, during the Hundred Years' War, defeated the English and their Burgundian allies near Orleans, giving hope to the demoralized French. Orleans was founded in pre-Roman times, became an important center of trade and by the late Middle Ages was considered one of the most beautiful cities in France. Periods of decline, followed by growth characterize the following centuries in Orleans. Today, Orleans provides a good base for exploring the Loire châteaux, although Tours is often considered to be the prettier, livelier and more cosmopolitan city. Orleans is known for its many lush parks and gardens; the 74 acre Parc Floral de la Source changes according to the seasons. Town highlights include the Gothic Sainte-Croix Cathedral which was built over three centuries, the Musee des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum), across from the Cathedral, housing six centuries of European art and of course, Maison Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc House), which is a re-creation of the home where Joan lived in 1429