ORLÉANS is the northernmost city on the Loire, sitting at the apex of a huge arc in the river as it switches direction and starts to flow southwest. Its proximity to Paris, just over 100km away, is a problem for this ancient city. Not only do many Orléanais go to Paris for their evenings out, they commute to work there as well. To counter its subordinate position as a country suburb to the capital, Orléans feels compelled to recoup its faded glory by harking back to the turning p... [More]