Orléans Events and Festivals

Orléans’ event calendar revolves around two anchors: the Joan of Arc Festival in May (the city’s defining annual event) and the Fête de la Loire in September (Europe’s largest river festival). Between them, you’ll find jazz, classical music, a Christmas market, and one of France’s biggest student carnivals. Most events are free, outdoor, and family-friendly. Here’s the full calendar with dates, locations, and what to expect at each.

Orléans Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)

Carnaval d’Orléans (March/April)

Orléans hosts one of France’s oldest carnivals, dating back to the 15th century. The main parade runs through the city centre on a Sunday in March or early April , the date varies with Easter. Expect 20-30 themed floats, costumed marching groups, and confetti cannons along Rue de la République and Rue Royale. The parade starts around 14:30 from the Préfecture and ends at Place du Martroi roughly 2 hours later. Free to watch. The carnival also includes a children’s parade on the preceding Saturday and a carnival ball at the Parc des Expositions on Saturday evening (€10-15 entry). Check the city’s official website (orleans-metropole.fr) for the exact date each year.

Fêtes Johanniques / Joan of Arc Festival (April 29 to May 8)

This is Orléans’ biggest and most important annual event, commemorating Joan of Arc’s liberation of the city from an English siege on May 8, 1429. The festival runs for about 10 days from late April through May 8. Key events include a medieval market in the Camp Santo courtyard (next to the cathedral) with artisans in period dress, a torchlit evening parade through the old town on May 7, and the main procession on May 8 , a 2 km parade from the cathedral to Place du Martroi with 500+ participants in medieval costume, cavalry, and flag-bearers. The May 8 evening closes with a son-et-lumière projected onto the cathedral facade and a fireworks display over the Loire at 23:00. The medieval market serves food and drink , try the hypocras (spiced medieval wine) served in clay cups. All outdoor events are free. Accommodation fills up 2-3 months in advance for the May 7-8 weekend.

Orléans Jazz Festival (June)

The Orléans Jazz Festival (officially Jazz Or Jazz) runs across multiple venues over 2 weeks in June. The main stage sets up at the Campo Santo (the cloister courtyard beside the cathedral), with headline acts playing Thursday through Saturday evenings (tickets €20-35). Off-main-stage gigs happen at bars and clubs across the city , Le Bouillon (21 Rue Sainte-Catherine) and Blue Note Café (2 Rue de la Chèvre Qui Danse) are regular participating venues with free entry. The festival has been running since 1992 and books a mix of international touring acts and French jazz ensembles. Programme details are published on jazzorjazz.com by March each year. Tickets for Campo Santo shows sell out for the Saturday night headline, so book early.

Orléans Events and Festivals: Summer (June to August)

Fête de la Musique (June 21)

The nationwide music festival takes over Orléans on the summer solstice. From roughly 18:00 to midnight, free music performances pop up on street corners, in squares, and in bar courtyards across the city. The highest concentration is along Rue de Bourgogne and Place du Martroi. Genres range from amateur rock bands to classical chamber groups, jazz combos, and DJ sets. The cathedral often hosts a choral or organ recital around 20:00-21:00 (free entry). The entire event is free and open to all ages. Public transport runs extended hours , Tram A runs until approximately 01:00. Restaurants on Rue de Bourgogne are packed, so book ahead if you want a sit-down dinner; otherwise, grab a crêpe or kebab from street vendors.

Les Estivales / Summer in Orléans (July-August)

The city’s summer programme (branded as Les Estivales) runs through July and August with free outdoor events. The main fixture is Cinéma en Plein Air , open-air film screenings in the Parc Pasteur on Friday and Saturday evenings, with films starting at sunset (around 22:00). Bring a blanket or deckchair. Programme leans toward French classics and family films. There are also free open-air concerts at the Quai du Châtelet guinguettes on Sunday afternoons (16:00-19:00), covering chanson, jazz, and world music. Les Guinguettes de la Loire , the riverside bars on Quai du Châtelet , operate from mid-May through mid-September, serving drinks and simple food on wooden terraces overlooking the river. The programme is published on the Orléans tourist office website by late June.

Orléans Events and Festivals: Autumn (September to November)

Fête de la Loire / Loire Festival (late September)

Europe’s largest river festival takes over the Orléans quaysides for 5 days in late September (Wednesday through Sunday) of odd-numbered years , though smaller editions often happen in even-numbered years too. The festival celebrates Loire River heritage, maritime traditions, and river ecology. The centrepiece is the gathering of 150-200 traditional flat-bottomed boats (toues and futreaux) that moor along the quays. Boat builders demonstrate their craft, and some offer short trips on the river (€3-5). On land, the festival includes a maritime-themed market with regional food producers, live music on multiple stages, street theatre, and a Saturday-night fireworks display over the river at 22:30. The main festival zone is Quai du Châtelet between Pont George-V and Pont de l’Europe. Entry is free. The 2025 edition (September 24-28) is the next major one.

Orléans-Cléry Harvest Festival (early October)

The Orléans-Cléry wine region , a small AOC established in 2006 , holds its harvest festival on the first or second weekend of October. The main events happen in Cléry-Saint-André (15 km southwest of Orléans) and at the Château de la Source in Olivet (6 km south). Expect vineyard tours, barrel tastings of the region’s Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, and a producers’ market. The Orléans-Cléry AOC is tiny , just 35 hectares across 6 communes , so production is limited and bottlings are hard to find outside the region. This is the one event where you can taste the full range. Entry is typically €5-10 including a tasting glass. Check the tourist office website (tourisme-orleans.com) for exact dates and shuttle bus availability from central Orléans.

Orléans Events and Festivals: Winter (December to February)

Marché de Noël / Christmas Market (late November to December 24)

Orléans’ Christmas market sets up in Place du Martroi with around 50 wooden chalets from the last weekend of November through December 24. Stalls sell regional food products (Orléans vinegar, Cotignac quince paste, Crottin de Chavignol cheese), crafts and decorations, mulled wine (vin chaud, €3-4), and roasted chestnuts. An ice rink (€3 for 30 minutes including skate rental) operates next to the market from mid-December. The city’s Christmas lights , particularly the illuminated cathedral facade and the light tunnels on Rue de la République , are switched on during the first weekend of December. The market is open daily, typically 11:00-20:00 (until 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays). Weekday mornings are quietest. The cathedral hosts free Christmas concerts on the Sundays of Advent (check the cathedral website for times).