Domrémy-la-Pucelle Travel Guide

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The inside of the basilica is something I would call a display of nationalist militarism “holyfied” by the Roman Catholic church, as this statue exemplifies (picture 1), where on the pedestal, the title of the tip is written (. . . dead for the homeland).
This chapel is not exactly an architectural marvel and the décor inside has not a real style to me, and besides the many paints of Jeanne (picture 2), you can see giant paints depicting the life of Jeanne, from the time when she heard the voices (picture 3) to the time she died on the stake in Rouen, through the important events of her life, like her entrance in Orleans (picture 4); there are eight giant paints.
Of course she was commissioned by God, and it is recalled in the cupola ceiling paint above the altar (picture 5).
Well, I passed by, so I had a stop at Jeanne’s place. . . . These religion-nationalism-militarism things are very (really very) far from my way to look at the world and history, but it is fascinating in some way, impressive to see how history can be written (with true(more or less) facts); I was interested to see this place where a French myth was born.

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Le Bois Chenu (could be translated in oak wood, but also old wood, or bald wood. . . ) is the place where Jeanne went at night to listen to the Angels, and in the nineteenth century a chapel (now a basilica) has been erected there.
You can see this basilica from far at the feet of a woods covered hill (picture 1); it is a rather modest church where the slim bell tower dominates the area (picture 2).
When you arrive at the basilica, you are welcomed by the “accueil du pelerin” (the pilgrim’s welcome) (picture 3), a restaurant which was crowded with pilgrims (probably), which has also a souvenir shop, but I did not spend time there.
You noticed the statue of Jeanne in the previous picture, and there are more of her or her family, like this one (picture 4), representing her father.
Take a walk around the basilica, and you will find a strange cemetery (picture 5) where the priests and other people who had served in the basilica have their tombs. Some people say they feel the “holy” spirit of the place, but I must be unsensitive, in some way, I did not feel it. . . . . I found more interesting to visit the basilica inside (Next tip).

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The “Johannic Centre” is a small museum located next to Jeanne’s birth house, entirely dedicated to Jeanne; a modern building houses a few sculptures, paints and you can see many posters of movies about the heroin, dioramas, and an exhibition about rural life at her time.
You can see her in a very classic representation, listening to the voices of the angels telling her to put the Dauohin on the throne, to chase the English (picture 1) or in a modern paint representation as a warrior (picture 2). The modern painter André Vedel shows her in unusual representation, like just a girl from the countryside.
Pictures of movies (picture 4) or lots of paints or statues (picture 5). . . . there is certainly a sort of idolatry here, and the risk of being fed up with Jeanne before the end of the visit is high! The dioramas learn you a lot about the various representations of trhis national hero.

3 Euros, combined with the House
Summer: 10 am-6pm
Winter: 10-12 am; 2-5 pm

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During Jeanne’s life this house was probably not as it looks now; there were certainly pigs, sheep, cattle walking in and out of the tiny farmhouse, and there was certainly a manure heap in front! Her father was a free peasant who owned land and house.
It is a bit difficult to imagine how life was in that house when you visit it; there is almost nothing inside, only the walls! Of course the statue in the niche and the high relief with blazons were not there (picture 1)
The room inside are very small and the walls plain, that gives more relief to the small statue in one of the rooms (picture 2). The windows are apparently as they were at her time, very small (picture 3), to keep the house warm during the long winters; in another room is a poster with Jeanne’s genealogy, and there are two-three furniture pieces (not from her time), and that’s it for the house!
In the yard, in front of the house is a small kiosk with an unusual representation of Jeanne (picture 4), wearing a hat, sort of which was usually worn by ladies of the 16th century. If you have a close look at the statue in the niche above the door, you will see Jeanne in her “classical” military attire, but also that the armour is decorated, and that she wears a nice jabot (picture 5); you can be a warrior, you can try to be elegant!

Summer: Every day 10 am to 6 pm
Winter: 10-12 am; 2-5 pm
3 Euros, combined with the Centre Johanique

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As in most villages, there is a church in Domremy (by the way, the village got its name from Dom Remy, Dominus Remigius, Master Remi or Domus Remigius, House of Remi; they make reference to St Remi, the famous bishop who crowned Clovis, first king (And Catholic king!) of France. . . History has sometimes strange coincidences: first king of France, Jeanne now who saved France with the coronation of Charles VII, the heart of France is may be here?), just an ordinary church which has recently been renovated recently (picture 1). Ordinary? Not exactly, as Jeanne has been baptised there; nothing from the far past is visible, but there are statues of Jeanne of course, a bit unusual like this one (picture 2) representing her as a pious shepherd, with a spindle of wool; she looks up probably “listening to the voices”.
There are modern painted glass windows, representing scenes of Jeanne’s life, like when she received the sword from the future king (picture 3), the beginning of her military life, or when she is burned by the English, on the stake in Rouen (picture 4), the end of her life.
The windows show her life, there are also a few paints and other statues and there is a statue of St Elophe (picture 5), a Lorraine martyr, carrying his head after having been beheaded, because he was a Christian, at the end of the Roman empire. Jeanne has been baptised here and here she acquired her catholic faith.

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If you are less than 30 km from Domremy, you won’t miss it, as there are signs everywhere. . . and when you arrive you know you are at Domremy the Virgin! (picture 1) and that you will visit a historical place (picture 2).
The village itself is like most villages of the area, a few houses lined along the main street; the farmers now still have their tools and equipment on the street (not backyards!) (picture 3); well, better than in the past when in the Lorraine villages it was a custom to have the manure heap on the street side in front of the house. . . The size of the heap was supposed to be proportional to the wealth, and they liked to show how wealthy they were.
A very quiet village indeed! Low houses, many of which are not anymore farms, have been changed in antique or souvenir shops (picture 4), neatly kept; the visit in the village takes about 5 mn, but open your eyes! You may meet Jeanne at every street crossing or corner (picture 5), even hidden behind some shrubs! Lets go to see what is to see!