May 10, 2020
On this trip report Annie
takes you on a quest for the Maid of Orĺéans with her guest Kim
Loftus. Have you ever wanted to go searching for Joan of Arc in
rural France? She's in a lot of villages in northern France! That
was the theme of Kim's latest trip to France and she tells us about
several of the must-see sites related to this world-famous
heroine.
Book recommendation: Joan of
Arc, a Life Transfigured
Hotels Recommended in this Episode
In Reims they stayed at the
Hotel Campanile. This is a great location where you could walk
to the city center and they have parking. Campanile hotels are
typically inexpensive as well. In Reims they also enjoyed the
restaurant Au Bureau near the Cathedral and Au Café de Reims.
The best hotel of the trip was in Rouen:
Best Western Hotel Gustave Flaubert
Searching for Joan of Arc in Rural France
Joan was born in the middle of the 100-year war which went
poorly for the French, particularly with the terrible battle of
Agencourt (listen to episode 89 for the story on how that went).
France was being ruled by an English King.
She was born in Domremy, which has now been renamed
Domremy-la-Pucelle. You went there and will tell us what you saw
there in a moment. Her father was a successful farmer and she was
the oldest of 5 children. She was extremely pious and went to pray
in the village church several times a day.
Joan started hearing voices at age 13 telling her that it was
her calling to deliver France from the wicked English rulers and
put a French King on the throne again. At age 16 (or was it 17?)
she set off to meet the rightful heir of the throne, raised an
army, inspired French people to support the cause and she did
it!
She’s been a legend ever since as the unlikely savior of a
country in big trouble. She was at the center of two big trials
which is why her life is well-documented and also why it’s hard to
talk about her without being a specialist because it’s
complicated!
There is also plenty of lore surrounding her life. But she was a
real girl who died young in a tragic end and achieved amazing
results by turning the 100-year war around in favor of the French.
I found the Wikipedia page
about her to be one of the best summaries out there of who she was
and what she did. I also read the Wikipedia page about her in
French and that’s got so many details that it’s horribly
confusing.
- Aisne-Marne Memorial Cemetery WWI
- Château-Thierry monument WWI
- Porte Saint Pierre, Joan of Arc entered the town of
Chateau-Thierry through this stone gate. This is a fortress related
to 100 Years War: The town was under the control of the English,
Joan of Arc marched through and took it over for the French. Newly
crowned King Charles VII was with her there.
This is where Charles VII was crowned and where many other
French Kings were crowned too. Joan had to take the city from the
English first, and then have him crowned. There is a Joan of Arc
sculpture outside cathedral and chapel inside. You’ll have to find
the statue of the smiling angel of the Cathedral too!
Reims is a good place to stay when you go searching for Joan of
Arc. They took day-trips to Domremy-la-Pucelle and Vaucouleur while
staying in Reims.
Domremy-la-Pucelle
This is where Joan of Arc was born and raised, and she set off
on her quest from here at age 16. What did you see there?
- L'Arbre des Fées, the gift shop staff was so fun for a Joan
geek like me, maybe because I was the only one there. It was
another chance to practice my French.
- Centre Johannique
- Joan’s childhood home and the garden where she heard the voices
giving her instructions
- Remy church next to Joan’s home.
Vaucouleurs
- Visitors Center, which is where you request to see Joan of Arc
Museum.
- Next to the Visitors Center, a shop called Mercerie Lagny.
Nathalie, owner, was so delightful. Bought French made socks,
Berthe aux Grands Pieds.
- Eglise St. Laurent - chapel to Joan.
- Up the hill is the gate of France where Joan left the city with
her troops to go the dauphin at Chinon.
- An old lime tree probably dates back to Joan’s time. Sign
explaining only living thing remaining that would have been there
to see her off in 1429.
- The old castle’s chapel were Joan attended the Mass on mornings
and stayed for hours in front of the statue of
Notre-Dame-des-Voûtes. It was not open.
Compiègne
- Came through on a Sunday and everything except the Château de
Compiègne was closed.
- Many half-timbered buildings in the city center.
- Joan of Arc on city hall and sculpture in the plaza.
- Joan captured nearby.
- Tour Jeanne d’Arc, origninally called La Grosse Tour du
Roi.
- After Charles VII was crowned, he entered into pragmantic
agreements with various Lords, some of whom used to be his enemies.
Joan still wanted to get rid of all the English. When the English
laid siege Compiègne the inhabitants send word to Joan of Arc that
they needed her. She was able to rally 400 men to try and chase the
English away from Compiègne but she was captured. They put her in
various prisons, she tried to escape, no ransom was negotiated and
she was burned at the stake in Rouen a year after her capture.
Rouen
- Chemical plant explosion and awful smell in the air
- The Joan of
Arc Historical, an immersive experience - quite moving.
- Rouen Cathedrale - light show in the summer months
- Eglise St. Jeanne d’Arc, Rouen right next to Place du
Vieux-Marché - Joan’s execution site, marked with a towering
sculptural cross.
- Best dinner at D’eux-Mêmes
restaurant - Palet Breton, Tube Choco-dessert and a Daurade.
Searching for Joan of Arc in Rural France Useful Links
Joan of Arc cities website aka "villes
johaniques" and map
of the area in English
Did you get my
VoiceMap Paris
tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of
Paris neighborhoods
and put what they are
looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories
in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what
happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or
click
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order activation codes at the podcast listener discount
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Discussed in this Episode
- Aisne-Marne Memorial Cemetery WWI
- Château-Thierry monument WWI
- Porte Saint Pierre where Joan of Arc entered the town of
Chateau-Thierry
- Reims
- Domrémy-la-Pucelle
- Vaucouleur
- Compiègne
- Rouen
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Categories: Alsace
and Lorraine, Champagne
Area,
Hauts-de-France,
Normandy & Brittany