Joan of Arc, Orléans and her museum
And also
The tops
I already told you about this house, do you remember? It was Jacques Boucher's one (duke of Orléans' treasurer).
He lodged Joan of Arc when she came in order to liberate the city in 1429, during the Hundred Years War.
It was entirely rebuilt in the Sixties after the destruction (bombings) in 1940.
Nowadays the building houses a museum which evokes Joan's stay in Orléans, the siege and the city's liberation, but also the life of our famous Maid.
Let's sum up a little: during the Hundred Years War, Orléans was besieged. A siege that turned the situation round!
Indeed, the English controlled France's northern half, while the dauphin (Charles VII, king-to-be) controlled the southern part...
The river Loire separated the two parts: Orléans was the only bridge!
So the English, who wanted to attack the dauphin, had to besiege the city. The battle began in October 1428.
In May 1429, Joan of Arc released the town. From that moment, Orléans people had deep respect for her: each year, they decided to celebrate her victory... The celebrations still exist nowadays!