Discover Blois

Blois is ideal for a walk while enjoying a charming setting rich in history.

The pedestrianised streets of the old town are lined with venerable half-timbered houses and offer intriguing and alluring vistas.

In Blois, all roads lead to the château. Richly decorated and superbly restored in the 19th century, this royal residence saw a succession of no fewer than seven kings and ten queens of France.

On a completely different theme, don’t miss the Maison de la Magie (House of Magic), located opposite the château. Its facade will amaze you. This grand bourgeoise mansion dating from the middle of the 19th century offers a delightful surprise every half hour when a mechanical six-headed dragon appears in the windows! Its permanent collection dedicated to the magical arts also pays tribute to the 19th century illusionist Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, the father of modern conjuring and one of the city’s most famous sons.

You also won’t want to miss the Fondation du Doute (Foundation of Doubt), an eccentric and wonderfully quirky contemporary art centre with a facade covered with metal plaques bearing works by the artist Ben, who brought the Fluxus avant-garde art movement to France. Among the permanent collections housed here are works, videos and interviews with major players in the movement, from the great John Cage to Joseph Beuys and Georg Brecht.

Chateaux

Château Royal de Blois - 5km

Château de Chambord -16km

Châteaux de Cheverny - 20km

Château de Chaumont et ses jardins - 25km

Château Royal d’Amboise - 40km

Château de Chenonceau - 50km

Activities

Bowling 1km

Cap Ciné Cinema Complex 1km

Squash -3km

Loire cycle route -5km

Chateaux bicycle route -5km

Maison de la Magie (House of Magic) Robert Houdin –5km

Loire descent by kayak -6km

Maison des Vins de Cheverny (Cheverny appellation wines) – 19km-

Beauval Zoo – 47km

Golf -20km

Château Royal de Blois

Situated in the heart of the city of Blois, on the right bank of the Loire, the Château Royal de Blois brings together around its courtyard a panorama of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the classical period, making it a key building for understanding the evolution of architectural creation over the centuries. The restored royal apartments are furnished and adorned with the 19th century polychromatic visual magnificence created by Félix Duban in the tradition of the restoration work of his contemporary, Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc.

From nightfall, a sound and light show with immersive special effects is presented in which monumental images are projected onto the magnificent walls of the place. See a collapsing château, one which trembles before Catherine de Médicis, and even the stern visage of the Duc de Guise, a key figure in the French Wars of Religion, vivid and imposing. Loves, passions, dramas and secrets appear in larger-than-life splendour on the four facades, by turns hidden and revealed in a unique 360-degree spectacle.

Château de Chambord

In 1519, King François I built the Château de Chambord on marshland by the Cosson River amidst a forest full of game, taking pains to ensure that it was a “a large, beautiful and sumptuous building”. A building that would enable him to satisfy his passion for hunting. As the king was strongly fascinated by Italian art and artists, his château mingled both French and Italian influences.

The château is built on the model of the fortified castles of the Middle Ages, having a central square building, the keep, with four towers at each corner. Inside the keep are five habitable levels, each built to the same design, with four square apartments and four apartments in round towers on each level.

A double staircase rises at the centre of the building, giving access to the first floor (where the historic apartments are located), the second floor (devoted to the theme of hunting and animal art) and to the large terrace, crowned by the lantern tower and the fleur-de-lys, symbol of the monarchy of France.

Beauval Zoo

The Zoo Parc de Beauval offers an unforgettable journey to the heart of the natural world, with more than 35,000 animals from all the continents. Enjoy a unique experience at Beauval Zoo, ranked among the 5 most beautiful zoos in the world!

In 2020, the Zoo launched its Equatorial Dome, a greenhouse unique in the world, covering more than 12,000 m² and taking you on an excursion around the equator. Several hundred incredible species, including giant otters, Komodo dragons and pygmy hippos, live in perfect harmony amidst the lush vegetation of a biosphere designed to meet their environmental needs.

House of Magic

The Maison de la Magie, located opposite the Château Royal de Blois, is a must-see in Blois.

Young and old alike will have fun and be fascinated by the multitude of surprises in store in the 2,000 m2 of this museum dedicated to magic and the eye-deceiving art of the magician. To discover the history of magic, as well as optical illusions and the spectacle of a six-headed dragon, take a wander in this enchanted world!

Foundation of Doubt

Located in the heart of the city, the Fondation du Doute is a lively and original contemporary art space inspired by the French artist Ben Vautier, known simply as Ben, and the spirit of Fluxus, an art movement that began in the mid-20th century to promote freedom, sharing and playfulness while broadening the concept of what can be considered art.

You will discover a variety of artists exhibited there, as well as concerts and events, always in the spirit of doubt or ‘anything is possible’. Step inside and open your mind to possibilities and the power of art leavened by irony and eccentricity.

Comic Art Museum

The city of Blois has a regional comic art centre that is well worth a visit! Located opposite the Loire in the historic centre of the Saint-Nicolas art and history quarter, the Maison de la BD offers a showcase for contemporary comic strip creation, promoting meetings between artists and visitors from all over the world via its exhibition space dedicated to the 9th art.

The Maison de la BD is also a place of learning for young and old due to its educational workshops. Whether you’re a comics buff or simply curious about the artform, don’t miss this museum. And if your visit takes place in November, you can attend with the bd BOUM Festival, the first free comic strip festival in France, which welcomes more than 200 comics creators!

Sound and light shows at the Château Royal de Blois

Every summer evening, as soon as night falls, you can enjoy a unique experience. In the heart of the Château Royal de Blois an immersive spectacle of sound and light takes place, as astonishing as it is captivating.

This show is projected onto the four facades of the château using state of the art visual and aural special effects to tell the gripping and tumultuous story of the great characters of the history of France who have occupied the castle, featuring the voices of Robert Hossein, Pierre Arditi and Fabrice Lucchini. Translation is available by means of an audio-language device. Don’t miss this 360-degree spectacle!

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