The lovely Hôtel Groslot stands just a short distance from the Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d'Orléans and just across the street from the Tourist Information Office and the Museum of Fine Arts (map).

The elegant Hôtel Groslot, Orléans.

This building served as the city hall of Orléans from 1790 to 1981. Today it is a sort of museum, with period furniture and memorabilia of Joan of Arc. The visit includes the Reception Room, generally referred to as Joan of Arc's room, as well as the City Council room.

Hôtel Groslot today offers a venue for weddings, in the room that was formerly the king's bedroom. King François II died in this room in 1560, with his mother Catherine de Medici and his wife Marie Stuart, Queen of France and Scotland, at his bedside. Other royal visitors included King Charles IX (François II's brother and successor) and Henry III and Henry IV. It is nice that this lovely room can today be used for happier occasions!

The furnishings and decor are lovely, and there are numerous statues, paintings, and other memorabilia of Joan of Arc. One of my favorites is the stained glass portrait of "La Pucelle," the maiden or the virgin, one of the many names associated with Joan of Arc.

Admission is free, and you can simply wander through the rooms.

Don't miss the lovely garden behind the Hôtel Groslot, a nice place to sit and relax. Typical of 19th century gardens of Orléans, it is a nice green spot in the city.

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