Orléans, the French city known as the country's vinegar capital, was the destination for a weekend travel segment broadcast on TF1's lunchtime news programme, Le 13H, on September 12, 2026. The report declared that the Loire river, which runs along the city, is the real star of any visit there.
The video, produced by TF1info's video editorial team, ran for two minutes and thirteen seconds as part of the channel's weekend Saturday edition. It presented Orléans as a city where visitors do not have to choose between the past and the present, since both are visible everywhere at once.
The report said the Loire gives Orléans an atmosphere unlike anywhere else, thanks to its position directly on the riverbanks.
Joan of Arc's lasting presence
The segment noted that nearly six centuries ago, Joan of Arc liberated Orléans, and that her courage against the English is still celebrated across the city today, from the stained-glass windows of its cathedral to the counters of its cafes and bars.
Joan of Arc led French forces to lift the English siege of Orléans in 1429 during the Hundred Years' War, a victory that made her one of France's most enduring national heroines. Her story is woven into the city's identity, from its cathedral to its street names.
Orléans' vinegar-making tradition dates back to the centuries when barges carried wine along the Loire to Paris; some of it soured into vinegar during the long journey, and local producers built an industry around it that endures today.
The report also highlighted a more modern layer of the city, pointing to street art found on Orléans' old stone buildings, sitting alongside the medieval architecture.
Part of a weekend of TF1 coverage
The Orléans feature aired alongside other segments in TF1's weekend lunchtime bulletins, including reports on vineyards using pigs to clear weeds without pesticides and on France's women's team reaching the World Cup final. The full Saturday, September 12, 2026 bulletin ran for 32 minutes and 3 seconds.
