Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All France Domrémy-la-Pucelle Birthplace of Joan of Arc
AO Edited

Birthplace of Joan of Arc

The woman who helped save 15th-century France was born in this humble home.

Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France

Added By
Shin Kiryu
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
  Shin Kiryu / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Joan of Arc, or Jeanne d'Arc in French, was born circa 1412 in the small village of Domrémy, known today as Domrémy-la-Pucelle in honor of Joan's nickname la Pucelle d'Orléans (the Maid of Orléans). The village lies at the base of a wooded hill, with the Meuse River flowing quietly nearby, part of the Grand Est region of northeastern France. Her childhood home still stands in excellent condition in the center of town.

The daughter of Jacques d'Arc, a farmer, and Isabelle Romée, Joan was the youngest of five children. At the time, France was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with England and Domrémy was under constant threat of invasion from English forces. It was said at the time one could wake up in a French village and become English by evening. Joan grew up in the Domrémy countryside where, as the legend goes, she heard heavenly voices. These heavenly encounters culminated with a vision of three saints: Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Michael the Archangel, and Saint Margaret. These experiences in Domremy led her to the embattled Charles VII and her quest to "hound the English out of France."

Her home today, with its unique sloping roof, is part of a larger museum dedicated to telling the story of Joan's life, Le Centre Johannique. Visitors can step inside Joan's house, largely unchanged from her time. The facade features two interesting amendments, the first being the very noticeable figure of Joan above the door. This statue dates to the transition between the 16th and 17th centuries and is a copy of the oldest surviving statue of Joan of Arc. In other words, the closest thing we have to a real image of the saint. It was based on a statue erected in the town of Orléans, which Joan famously saved to cement her reputation as the savior of France.

Joan's great grand-nephew Claude Du Lys added the outline around the front door of the carved tympanum in 1481; the date is visible in Roman numerals. Three shields bear a coat of arms in a characteristic Gothic design that was widespread in Lorraine until the 16th century. The middle shield features the arms of the Kingdom of France, three fleurs-de-lis. The left shield features three plowshares, as Claude was a farmer and probably honors the area's agricultural heritage. The shield on the right shows the arms of Joan of Arc: a sword supporting the crown of France and two fleurs-de-lis. There are also two mottos in Latin; "Vive labeur," a slogan honoring those who till the soil and, "Vive le roi Louis," a reference to Louis XI, the son of Charles VII and King of France in Claude's time.

Related Tags

Saints Houses Catholic Medieval War Museums History

Know Before You Go

The site is open to the public from February 1 to December 15. See the website for more information.

The house is protected by a fence. However, if you circle around the house, you can gain free access to the front yard even if the museum is closed. Be sure to visit the Eglise Saint Remy church next door, which contains the basin where Joan was baptized as well as a bust claiming to contain dirt from the stake where she was burned. The Basilique Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc just up the road, built in the 1800s, is also not to be missed, featuring stunning murals of Joan's life.

Community Contributors

Added By

Shin Kiryu

Edited By

Ardis, BP

  • Ardis
  • BP

Published

January 24, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Birthplace of Joan of Arc
2 Rue de la Basilique
Domrémy-la-Pucelle, 88630
France
48.442098, 5.674473
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Transi de René de Chalon

Bar-le-Duc, France

miles away

Gue(ho)st House

Delme, France

miles away

Jean Cocteau's Stained Glass Windows

Metz, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of France

France

Europe

Places 692
Stories 72

Nearby Places

Transi de René de Chalon

Bar-le-Duc, France

miles away

Gue(ho)st House

Delme, France

miles away

Jean Cocteau's Stained Glass Windows

Metz, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of France

France

Europe

Places 692
Stories 72

Related Places

  • The Shield of Parade

    London, England

    Shield of Parade

    This magnificently macabre shield shows the power of chivalrous love in medieval times.

  • Birthplace of Padre Pio.

    Pietrelcina, Italy

    Birthplace of Padre Pio

    A small town lost in the mountains of southern Italy hosts the childhood home of one of the most famous saints of the 20th century.

  • The collégiale Sainte Gertrude.

    Nivelles, Belgium

    Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude

    The patron saint of cats founded this stunning Romanesque church in the 7th century.

  • Heritage Street.

    Henderson, Nevada

    Heritage Street

    Clark County Museum has created an entire street of historically important buildings relocated from various other locations within the county.

  • Sethi House Complex

    Peshawar, Pakistan

    Sethi House

    A rare instance of a historical Peshawari mansion restored and opened to the public.

  • Audience chamber inside the Inquistor’s Palace

    Birgu, Malta

    Inquisitor’s Palace

    For over two centuries, this palace served as a residence for the Holy Roman Inquisition's leaders, a courthouse, and a prison.

  • York, England

    Shrine of Saint Margaret Clitherow

    A shrine to one of England's female saints in what is believed to be her former home.

  • Inside the church

    Ano Syros, Greece

    Catholic Church of Agios Georgios

    On top of a hill, this Catholic church overlooks the most Catholic island in Greece.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.