Joan of Arc Tour

Follow a Joan of Arc Tour to discover the story of the French heroine who has been an icon for nearly six centuries. Her epic is strongly linked with the Loire Valley, with Tours, Blois, or Chinon, but Orleans is a part of the list; it is the place of Joan of Arc’s first and chief victory, the turning point of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Enjoy a Joan of Arc Tour in Orleans with your private guide to follow the footsteps of this young woman called Jeanne (French for Joan), who changed the course of French and English history in a few days in the spring of 1429.

Photo of a Joan of Arc sculpture by Princess Marie d'Orléans at the entry of Hôtel Groslot to illustrate the Joan of Arc Walking Tour.

Joan of Arc Tour: Joan of Arc sculpture by Princess Marie d’Orléans – in Orleans, Val de Loire, France © Broaden horizons.

Joan of Arc Tour essentials (Orleans)

119 € for 1 to 2 people + 7 € per extra person

Private +/- 2 hours walking Tour in English
Genuine private tour: your party only (6 people max.)
Postgraduate (MPhil) certified French national guide
Flexible schedule 7/7 if available
Online booking & payment

This tour is also available in a 3-hour version for those who want to learn more about Orleans and Joan of Arc.

Orleans & Joan of Arc 3 hours tour: 149 € for 1 to 2 people + 10 € per extra person

KNOW MORE / BOOK NOW

Also possible for bigger groups

Your Private Guide in Orleans

Certified French national guide.
Centre-Loire Valley Region accreditation (VAH).
BA, Magna cum laude, Heritage Developpement & Preservation at Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers.
Postgraduate (MPhil) from Paris Dauphine-PSL University.

Why follow the Joan of Arc Tour?

Because Joan of Arc (in French Jeanne d’Arc), is the symbolic figure of the city.

Indeed, following her intervention, the English army left the siege of Orleans on May 8, 1429. This event is considered the watershed of the Hundred Years’ War between France and England.

Eternally grateful for nearly 600 years, Orléans still celebrates this event during the Joan of Arc Festival, in French, “Les Fêtes de Jeanne d’Arc,” from the 29th of April to the 8th of May each year.

Often called the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc is present everywhere in the streets (dedicated iconography, squares, streets, and monuments). So, an Orleans Joan of Arc Walking Tour is something you shouldn’t miss!

Joan of Arc Tour Content

In this Joan of Arc tour, we will tell you about her story and, more specifically, about the Orleans-related historical figures: Isabelle Romée (Joan of Arc’s mother), Pierre du Lys (one of her brothers and comrades in arms), La Hire, the Bastard of Orleans (the son of the Duke of Orleans), etc.

Moreover, the tour has been structured in three levels:

1. Middle Ages heritage still present in Orleans

The city wall remains, Saint-Pierre-le-Puellier Collegial, the Middle Ages University of Law with the “salle des Thèses,” the Tour Blanche, stone or half-timbered houses, etc.

2. Joan of Arc iconography

The Maid of Orleans is omnipresent in the city: the stained-glass windows of the Cathedral Saint-Croix, Romantic statues, streets, etc.

3. Joan of Arc-related places

Places where she passed through corresponding military events: Bourgogne Street, des Tourelles Battle, etc.

We will also see the house of Joan of Arc, which is the reconstructed house of Jacques Boucher, Treasurer General to the Duke of Orleans, where Joan of Arc lived during her stay in the city.

An Extra Reason to Follow our Orleans Joan of Arc Tour

Besides, our Joan of Arc tour also allows you to discover the southeast city center, which is not covered by the two other main Orleans walking tours.

Photo of a stained glass by Jacques Galland and Esprit Gibelin depicting Joan of Arc live to illustrate the Orleans Joan of Arc Walking Tour.

Joan of Arc Walking Tour: the entry of Joan of Arc in Orleans April 29 of 1429: One of the ten stained glass windows by Jacques Galland and Esprit Gibelin depicting Joan of Arc’s life in Orleans Cathedral. Orleans, Val de Loire, France © Broaden Horizons.

Joan of Arc in the Orleans Monuments

Orleans Sainte-Croix Cathedral is not the only monument in which you can see Joan of Arc’s representation; even if it is not possible to show you all of them during our Orleans Jeanne of Arc Walking Tour, here are places where you can find more Joan of Arc iconography:

Cathedral Parvis, with two Joan of Arc bas-reliefs by sculptor Paul Belmondo.
Hôtel Groslot, with a famous Joan of Arc romantic sculpture by Princess Marie d’Orléans.
Place du Martroi is the main square of Orleans, where the most famous statue of Joan of Arc is.
Rue des Tourelles is a Joan of Arc Neo-Classical sculpture in the place where the English Des Tourelles fortress stood in the Middle Ages.
And also, Saint-Donatien church, Notre-Dame-des-Miracles chapel, Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc church etc.

Joan of arc in "The Vision and Inspiration". An oil and gold leaf on canvas by Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel to illustrate the Joan of Arc Guided Tour in Orleans

“The Vision and Inspiration” is an oil painting by Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel. The big version is in the Orleans Museum of Fine Arts, while a smaller one is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The canvas depicts Joan of Arc receiving visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret.

Joan of Arc in the Orleans Museums

Orléans Museum of History and Archeology (Hôtel Cabu) exhibits one of the very first paintings depicting Joan of Arc.
The Orléans Museum of Fine Arts is where you will find more Joan of Arc-related works of art, for example, “The Entry of Joan of Arc in Orléans,” a famous painting by Scherrer.

Or a seven-meter-wide Joan of Arc canvas by Orleans native painter Boutet de Monvel, who got worldly fame at the end of the 19th century for his Joan of Arc illustrated for children.

So, if you are a real fan of Joan of Arc and don’t have enough with our “Joan of Arc Orleans Walking Tour,” do not hesitate to ask us to organize a museum complement for your Joan of Arc tour.

Joan of Arc painting by Jean-Jacques Scherrer to illustrate the Orleans Joan of Arc Walking Tour.

The entry of Joan of Arc in Orleans in rue de Bourgogne is an oil painting by Jean-Jacques Scherrer. This academic painting represents Joan of Arc as an icon for all the people of France: rich, powerful as well as poor, and humble. © Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans, credit François Lauginie.

Joan of Arc around Orleans

Château de Sully Sur Loire (+/- 42 km): Joan of Arc stayed twice in the castle of Guy de la Tremouille, Charles VII, Grand Chamberlain.

Château de Meung-sur-Loire (+/- 21 km): where Joan of Arc stayed after the battle of Orléans. Meung-sur-Loire is also the place of one of the five Loire Valley Campaign Battles.

The other places of the Loire Valley Campaign are also close to Orléans: Jargeau (+/- 20 km), the first Joan of Arc offensive battle after Orléans, Beaugency (+/- 26 km), and Patay (+/- 28 km) the last of the five battles where English forces where finally heavily defeated. Don’t hesitate to ask your Orléans local guide about it.

Story of Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans

Childhood: Joan of Arc was born in east France around 1412. At thirteen years old, she starts to hear a voice from God,

Orleans: At 17, she claimed the voices (She would later name them Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Marguerite) and told her to raise the siege of Orleans from the English. Joan of Arc reached to meet Dauphin Charles in Chinon, who trusted her, and following her intervention in Orleans, the English army gave up the city siege on the 8th of May, 1429.

Reims Coronation: Joan of Arc insists that the Dauphin should go to Reims to receive his rightful crown, and after some other critical French victories during the Loire Valley Campaign, the Dauphin was consecrated King Charles VII of France on the 17th of July of 1429.

These Orleans’ events ended with the Reims coronation, which was the watershed of the Hundred Years’ War, which finally ended with the victory of the French against England in 1453.

Rouen trial: Joan of Arc was burned alive years before in Rouen in 1431; after her capture in Compiègne, she was put on trial by a pro-English Bishop and declared guilty.

Rehabilitation: Joan of Arc’s trial was reopened by the examination of Joan’s mother, Isabelle Romée, in Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral on the 7th of November 1455. The original sentence of Rouen was officially canceled in the same city on the 7th of July, 1456.

The city of Orleans took in Joan of Arc’s mother. One of Joan of Arc’s brothers, Pierre du Lys, also settled near Orleans.

Joan of Arc, a heroine of France, was canonized in 1920.

Joan of Arc Tour Reviews

So much more than a Joan of Arc tour

Yves was an amazing tour guide. His grasp of all aspects of Orlean’s history and architecture was impressive. He conveyed the drama of Joan of Arc, as she rode into the city, where she most likely prayed. The house she stayed at for her 10 day here…..As an added bonus, we visited the room where Mary, Queen of Scotts, lost her husband. We touched on bits of WWII damage to the city. I highly recommend Yves as a tour guide.

conniecloud - Anchorage, AK

Feb 2024 - Tripadvisor

Yves is a very passionate guide!

As a journalist l am doing a story about Joan of Arc. Yves gave us great information. He is really charismatic, honoust, passionate and friendly. He gave us a new perspective. The kind of men this world needs.
So Thank you So much!

Xtine from the Netherlands

August 2019 Tripadvisor

Tour Booking Information

Meeting Point

In front of the Hôtel Groslot,
place de l’Etape, 45000 Orléans.

Access: Tram ligne B, station Cathédrale.

Attention Points

The tour is on foot.
Weather: the tour will start on schedule, rain or shine.
Prices do not include transportation, food, drinks, or any other extra services.
Neighborhood tour: we don’t enter monuments unless otherwise specified.
Tour duration & content are purely indicative; they may vary due to contingencies.
We can’t guarantee access to the cathedral, Especially if the cathedral is closed or forbidden to tour (ceremony) without notice.