Many years ago, there was a small section of the  New Orleans French Market known as the Fruit Complex. Today, it serves as the place of honor for a gift from the people of France, the golden statue of Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans. Gifted to New Orleans in 1972, this statue is an exact copy of the one at Place de Pyramides, Paris. It was moved to its present location in the former fruit complex in 1999. In 1960 Charles DeGaulle, then president of France, visited New Orleans. He loved the city so much that upon his return to France he found four cities willing to fund the building of this beautiful statue as a gift to the city of New Orleans. The statue was gilded in golden bronze in 1985.