Weekend in Orléans

Two days in Orléans split neatly between the city's medieval core and its greener, more contemporary side. The first day follows the footsteps of Joan of Arc — from the equestrian statue on Place du Martroi through her reconstructed house and on to the soaring Gothic nave of Cathédrale Sainte-Croix with its Joan of Arc stained-glass cycle. Between stops, the Hôtel Cabu displays Gallo-Roman bronzes unearthed nearby, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts holds France's second-largest collection of 18th-century pastels. Day two shifts to the renovated MOBE natural history museum, the striking biomorphic glass pavilions of the FRAC contemporary art centre, and a leisurely afternoon at the 35-hectare Parc Floral de la Source, where themed gardens surround the mysterious resurgence of the Loiret river. The pace is comfortable, with mornings at the main sites and free time built into each afternoon. Most museums close on Mondays, and the FRAC opens only at 14:00 (closed Monday–Tuesday), so a Saturday–Sunday visit works best.