The tiny village of Domrémy-la-Pucelle (population 155), 60 km (37 miles) southwest of Nancy (map), is famed as the birthplace of Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc, 1412-1431).

Hundreds of visitors still make their way to the village to see where Joan was said to have seen visions of angels and saints telling her to fight in support of Charles, Dauphin (crown prince) of France.

Leading a relief column to the besieged city of Orléans, she inspired the French armies to drive the English, Normans and Burgundians out, earning her the nickname The Maid of Orléans (La Pucelle d'Orléans).

Other victories followed, resulting in the Dauphin's coronation at Reims as Charles VII, King of France.

Betrayed by the Burgundian allies of the English, she was tried by a Burgundian ecclesiastical court, after which, surrendered to the English, she was burned at the stake in Rouen, Normandy, on May 30, 1431, at the age of nineteen.

Twenty-five years later, in 1456, a papal court debunked the Burgundian charges, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr.

Four and a half centuries later, in 1920, she was declared a saint. More...

What to See & Do

Joan of Arc Birthplace

The humble home of Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée, Joan's parents, is still standing behind the Church of Saint-Rémy, and is now a museum you can visit. The four small rooms are bare of furniture, but give you an idea of Joan's humble beginnings.

You enter the house through the new Visitor Center building. The small admission fee includes a useful explanatory video, and historical exhibits.

Birthplace of Joan of Arc, Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France

Church of Saint-Rémy de Reims

The church in which Joan was baptized stands next to her home. It retains a 13th-century tower. The baptismal font and some of the sculptures would have been familiar to Joan and her parents. The rest of the church was extensively restored in the 1800s, and again in 1946 and 2005. Admission is free.

Église Saint-Rémy de Reims, where Joan of arc was baptised.

Basilique du Bois Chênu

Joan told others that she had seen visions in her family's garden, and also in the Chapelle Saint-Marie on the Coteau des Vignes, a small hill near the village. The chapel is gone, replaced by this basilica, also called the Basilique Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc, a late-19th/early 20th-century church with little proven historical connection to Joan's life.

Transportation

Plane

Vosges Aéroport (Aéroport d'Épinal-Mirecourt), 30 km (25 miles) southeast of Domrémy in Juvaincourt (map), handles mostly tour-company flights, with a few scheduled flights.

Lorraine Airport (Aéroport Metz-Nancy-Lorraine, ETZ) in Goin, 97 km (60 miles) northeast of Domrémy (map), is the closest airport with some short-haul flights to destinations within Europe and longer ones to Mediterranean vacation/holiday destinations. More...

Train

The closest train station is at Neufchâteau, 12 km (8 miles) south of Domrémy (map). From Neufchâteau, you must take a taxi.

Car

The fastest and easiest way to reach Domrémy is by hired/rental car from Nancy or another city in the region:

Where to Stay

The best hotel in this small town is Le Clos Domrémy, a cozy inn convenient to all the Joan of Arc historical sights. More...

Lots more hotels are available in other villages near Domrémy, and in Vittel (43 km/27 miles), Nancy (59 km/37 miles), Verdun (107 km/66 miles), Reims (180 km/112 miles), Épernay (184 km/114 miles) and Colmar (190 km/118 miles).

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About Joan of Arc Vittel Nancy Colmar Verdun Reims Épernay Champagne-Ardenne Alsace Northern France