Orleans Cathedral

After travelling from Beziers yesterday, an exhausting 8 hour journey we spent the night in Orleans.

This morning when the roads were still quiet we drove round the city centre, which is very elegant. The cathedral, which we had spotted in the distance yesterday, is quite breathtaking with both towers and a spire. The carving is very detailed and intricate, and reminds me of the most delicate wedding cakes. As it was Sunday the cathedral was closed to tourists. I'm certain the interior would have been as wonderful as the exterior, although perhaps not to by presbyterian tastes.

Outside the cathedral are modern statues depicting Joan of Arc being burnt at the stake.

Instead of taking the motorways to Calais, which would have necessitated circumlocuting Paris again, we went across country, through Chartres, another beautiful city with an elegant cathedral and Rouen before arriving at the Channel Tunnel in plenty of time for our crossing. Just as well because UK Border Control were being very fastidious about checking passports and their holders. Frustrating but it's good to know they are trying so hard to protect us.