Close to Orléans, on the left bank of the Loire River, this village is well-known for its calmness and dynamism with its small shops and its many organisations.
Ever since the Middle Ages, wine has been cultivated, producing well-known wines. This culture was the main resource of Saint-Denis-en-Val until the beginning of the 2Oth century and after that slowly disappeared giving way to horticulture and nurseries.
At the Bouchet existed a thriving and prosperous harbour. It’s here where Joan Of Arc landed the 7th of May 1429, before attacking and liberating Orléans.
Saint-Denis-en-Val is situated between the Loire River and the road linking Orléans to Jargeau.A traditional and cordial small town joins a place, a church, a town hall, cafes and friendly shops. Each Sunday morning, there is a market.
Around 7.300 inhabitants, called « Dionysiens », living primarily in individual houses and several farms, contribute to Saint Denis small town nature and charm.
The main activity remains agriculture. A lot of greenhouses screen the market garden produce (cucumbers, salads, tomatoes, …), floral products (pot plants), ornament plants. The nurseries and cereal productions also occupy some large areas.
Saint Denis en Val also has a lot of craft shops, independant professions and traditional trades
La Loire River is still salvage :it winds idly among small islands and sandbanks in summer and becomes again a bubbling river on winter.
The stroller could discover a various fauna and flora along its banks, the fisher could catch large varieties of fishes, either on the Loire River or on the ponds situated on the old sandpits. The dreamer could admire this Royal River, and the sportsman could go jogging, montain biking and canoe-kayaking.
L’ile Charlemagne », leasure point of the town of Orleans borders Saint-Denis-en-Val, offers a wide variety of activities such as the beach, a guarded swimming area, sailing, windsurfing, children’s games as well as numerous other activitiesMore than fifty organisations offer a wide range of spare time activities (about 2200 sporting licences) :
Saint-Denis-en-Val has a wide range of equipements such as a sporting village (2 gymnasiums, 1 dojo, outdoor and indoor tennis courts…), football stadium, a riffle range, a canoë-kayak base, a skateboard and roller track, a librairy, a village hall.
Carnivals and school-fairs, music festivals, 14th July holiday also, take a great part in the bustle in Saint-Denis-en-Val. The Feast of Saint-Denis organised by the feast committee, the first week-end of October, is the main event (fun fair, exhibition, cabaret evening party, variety show, attic sales, handicrafts, …) every year.
About 900 children go to school in Saint-Denis-en-Val. There are four educational establishmments form nurseries to primary school.
Teenagers go to a secondary school, located in a town close to Saint Denis en Val
Saint-Denis-en-Val is an entity names « commune ». The Mayor, Pierre LANSON, with the help of 28 town councillors, administrates it. 70 municipality employees work for public utilities, such as : administration, social services, gardening and cleaning, school lunches…
Saint-Denis-en-Val belongs to a pooling of 20 municipalities located around of the biggest town which is named Orléans. They are in charge of managing all the common activities for Orleans Urban center
The commune has a lot of projects, such as the building a cultural center, the arrangement of the Loire River banks with a camping site, and also the implantation of a second handicraft activities area.
Saint Denis en Val whishes to preserve its rural character, and obviously TO TWIN with another city.
Saint-Denis-en-Val stands near Orleans, capital of the Center Region, which offers to visitors a wide range of historical, artistic and natural splendours :
Contact : MAIRIE-DE-SAINT-DENIS-EN-VAL@wanadoo.fr