Lightly coat a 8 x 11-inch baking dish with butter.

Tear the French bread slices into large pieces (or cut into cubes) and place in the baking dish. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, maple syrup, orange zest and walnuts. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm.