Jeanne d'Arc

Since the year 1430, Orléans has been celebrating the Johannine festivals every 8th of May every year.

Why is Orléans celebrating Joan of Arc?

Born in 1412, in a village in the Vosges Mountains, 350 km from Orléans, Joan of Arc grew up in a period when the Kingdom of France, the English Alliance and the Burgundians were in constant war... the famous Hundred Years War. In 1415, the Battle of Azincourt puts this war, then in truce for more than 20 years, back to its apogee.

Jeanne d'Arc thus evolves in a context of war where epidemics and looting are commonplace. At the age of 12, little Joan evokes the legendary "voices" of Ste Marguerite, Ste Catherine and St-Michel. These voices tell her to to help the Kingdom of France and to free it from English and Burgundian oppression. After that, it will be enough for him to to consecrate the dolphin, Charles, in the Church of the Kings, in Rheims.

At the age of 17, she went to the village of Vaucouleurs, in the Meuse, in order to talk to Robert de Baudricourt, then lord of the province. Out of spite, Baudricourt granted her an escort in order to go and ask for an audience with the dolphin, Charles, in Chinon.

At the end of the interview, Charles was convinced and entrusted him with all his decisions after having undergone a virginity examination. No one found any evidence against her or any evidence of witchcraft, from then on, she was appointed head of the armies by the dolphin.

On April 29, 1429, finally, Joan of Arc arrives in Orleans, besieged for more than 6 months. On May 4th, the French, under the cup of the "virgin of Orleans" began to take back the siege of Orleans from the English who had no choice but to abdicate on May 8th 1429. Joan of Arc was 17 years old, when she received a standing ovation from the all-Orleans .

On July 17th 1429, the dolphin is crowned King of France in Reims, as Joan of Arc had heard 5 years earlier...

Today, Joan of Arc remains in the Pantheon alongside the nation's illustrious figures.