What to see and do in the Loiret region around Orléans?

Orléans is a city with a rich heritage, a provincial town ideal for getting away from it all and enjoying the architectural and natural sites close to the city. Numerous cultural and festive events are on the programme throughout the year, and history plays an important part in this central region, including the Johannine Festivals commemorating the arrival of Joan of Arc and her liberation from the English. Sologne and its forest, the terroir of the Gâtinais, hiking, river tourism…

There really is something to suit all tastes and all age groups. Here’s a quick overview of the activities available in the Loiret region around Orléans.

Discover the Sologne

Looking for wild beauty, forests as far as the eye can see, moors and ponds? Then Sologne is the place for you! The landscapes are extremely varied, from immense birch forests to ponds, wet meadows with purple and red orchids, floodplains and moorland with purple heather.

The fauna is not to be outdone, with deer, roe deer and hinds to be seen in the forest, fish in the ponds including the eel with its sucker mouth, dragonflies, birds of prey and some 200 different species of birds throughout the year. Don’t hesitate to visit the observatory at the Etang de Beaumont and the Maison des Etangs in Saint-Viâtre to find out more about this extraordinary forest and its inhabitants.

Outings on the themes of fauna, flora and landscapes are organised by the Sologne Nature Environnement association.

The GR 3C hiking trail, from Gien to Chambord, is the perfect way to discover Sologne.

The Domaine du Ciran: this conservatory of the flora and fauna of Sologne helps tourists to better understand this environment, to recognise animal tracks, to pick mushrooms, to listen to the bellowing of the stag during mating season…

Which Loiret châteaux to visit near Orléans?

1. Château de la Ferté-Saint-Aubin

This magnificent 17th-century château is open to the public, with richly furnished rooms on 3 floors, stables, toy loft with a fine collection of old toys, explanations of how the kitchen worked by people in period costume who will let you taste homemade madeleines, 40 hectares of parkland with garden games (chess, 15-course mini-golf, life-size game of goose)… Dive into history in a fun way!

Activities at the château: escape game, madeleine tasting, shows & concerts…

2. Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire Castle

This medieval castle, converted into a more comfortable home in the 16th century, has 25 fully-furnished rooms and ceremonial flats… 1,000 years of history can be discovered through a guided tour, but also through investigation trails, an escape game and haunted evenings that will delight young and old alike.

3. Château de La Bussière

This château can be visited both inside and out, with its park, its pond where you can take a boat trip, its vegetable garden (a remarkable garden) and its shady paths designed by André Le Nôtre… Charm and poetry are the order of the day, and there’s a riddle game for children.

4. Meung-sur-Loire Castle

Built in the 13th century, this castle has 2,000 objects, 20 richly furnished rooms and an odorama trail that will take you back in time. The bravest will visit the dark and cold underground passages…

5. Château de Chamerolles

Built by Lancelot du Lac in the 16th century, this medieval and Renaissance château features a beautiful open gallery, moats and defensive towers, flower gardens, a water mirror and an olfactory trail to discover the scents and perfumes of the 16th century to the present day.

6. Gien Castle Museum

It houses the hunting museum, and offers an interactive tour in search of 15 ornamental details.

Which museums should you visit?

1. Ligny-Le-Ribault Ecomuseum

Discover life in Sologne in the 1900s, the craftsmen, their stalls and tools, the life of the inhabitants in their houses, the clothes, the traditions of yesteryear, the post office dating from 1920… This private museum will take you back in time.

2. Musée de la Marine de Loire

This museum immerses you in the life of the sailors, craftsmen and inhabitants of the banks of the Loire and their traditions. Embarkation hall, boat, goods quay… Everything is here to bring to life those not so distant times…

Discover the Loire

This powerful and strikingly beautiful river is the last wild river in Europe, with its meandering bends and unspoilt sites where birds, beavers and other animals live in harmony. You can observe and follow it:

• By bike: on a 900km circuit linking Nevers to Saint-Nazaire, and passing through Orléans, of course. The Loire crosses the Loiret for almost 150 km. You can cycle as far as the Château d’Amboise or towards Gien. You’ll pass through some charming little villages and be able to sample some of the local specialities.
• By boat: climb aboard a traditional naval boat, once used on the “royal” river to transport goods: gabares, toues and futreaux have reappeared on this legendary river to the delight of enthusiasts and tourists alike. You can also hire electric boats without a licence.
• Canoeing and kayaking: it’s very easy to hire a canoe or kayak to paddle the Loire around Orléans. You can also hire a paddle, pedalo or rowboat…
• Hot-air ballooning: fly over the Loire Valley in a hot-air balloon and experience a daydream! On the programme: châteaux and historic monuments, a UNESCO-listed landscape, breathtaking panoramic views…
• By microlight…

Must-sees

Méandre de Guilly

The last large wild meander in the Loiret, the Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturels Centre-Val-de-Loire covers 400 hectares, and a path allows you to discover it in complete peace and quiet.

ThePointe de Courpainnature reserve

Remarkable sites: beavers, otters, birds and 570 plant species to discover in this reserve, which extends over 5 villages.

Numerous “guinguettes” (dance halls) have made a comeback on the banks of the Loire, providing a great opportunity to enjoy a drink, mingle in the country atmosphere and dance the night away!

Culinary specialities

Andouille de Jargeau, Olivet cheese, pithiviers fondant or puff pastry, Olivet pear, Orléans vinegar, Mazet praslines, Gâtinais honey and saffron…