Rue Royale

The rue Royale, in Orléans

The rue Royale is an elegant arcaded artery of the eighteenth century, that opens a majestic perspective from the George V bridge to the Place du Martroi. The Orléans audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this fine classical way, cut through at the entrance of the town, jewel of the urbanism of the century of Enlightenment.

The classical perspective of the entrance of the town

You are here at the entrance of the town. Arriving by the George V bridge, a majestic perspective opens before us up to the Place du Martroi. The rue Royale was cut through after the construction of the new bridge, in the eighteenth century, within the framework of a great project of development of the entrance of Orléans. It is the engineer Jean Hupeau, in charge of the construction of the bridge, who also conceived this new way to prolong it and to create an entrance of the town worthy and grandiose. The rue Royale is thus a fine example of the classical urbanism of the century of Enlightenment, that privileged order, symmetry and fine perspectives. Wide and straight, it is lined with elegant arcaded buildings, with harmonious and regular façades, under which you can stroll sheltered. Rebuilt identically after the destructions of the Second World War, it has found all its original character. Today a lively shopping artery, it links the river to the heart of the town in a remarkable perspective. A classical artery and a fine entrance of the town, the rue Royale is a fine stop of the discovery of Orléans.

What to see

Here you wander on the elegant arcaded artery, cut through in the eighteenth century after the construction of the bridge by the engineer Jean Hupeau to create a grandiose entrance of the town; wide and straight, lined with harmonious buildings under which you stroll sheltered, it opens a majestic perspective from the George V bridge to the Place du Martroi, rebuilt identically after the war. The rue Royale is a fine entrance of the town of Orléans. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The rue Royale links the George V bridge to the Place du Martroi, in the heart of Orléans, reachable on foot and by tram. It is a public shopping street, freely accessible, lined with arcades, shops and cafés. You explore it by going up from the river towards the centre, in its fine perspective.

How was the rue Royale created in Orléans?

It was cut through in the eighteenth century after the construction of the new bridge, by the engineer Jean Hupeau, who conceived it to prolong the bridge and to create a grandiose entrance of the town; a fine example of the classical urbanism of the century of Enlightenment, wide and lined with arcaded buildings, it opens a majestic perspective up to the Place du Martroi and was rebuilt identically after the Second World War.

Where is the rue Royale in Orléans?

Between the George V bridge and the Place du Martroi, in the heart of Orléans, in France.