Château de Blois

Listed since 1945 as a historic monument, the Château de Blois offers an ideal introduction to the Val de Loire châteaux. It has hosted numerous figures whose destinies were closely connected with the history of France and Europe.  Over the centuries, the château has been the theater for confrontations, shenanigans, wheeling and dealing and games of power. The favored residence of 7 kings and 10 queens of France, it is inhabited by the memory of illustrious guests who have continually had it modified, enriched and reinvented according to their tastes.

The Château de Blois is one of the rare monuments offering visitors a comprehensive panorama of French architecture from the Middle Ages through the classical epoch.  In our times, the main courtyard is the focal point of four wings, each of which privileges different styles and epochs: the large baronial hall, a vestige of the 13^th-century medieval fortress; the Louis XII Gothic wing with its candelabra decors and galleries displaying Italian artistic influence; the François I Renaissance wing with its monumental staircase, the first worksite during the builder king’s reign; and, finally, the classical Gaston, Duke of Orleans wing typifying the Versailles style prevailing at the time.

In addition to its architectural wealth, the Château de Blois contains an amazing  collection of art, furnishings and period artifacts.  Restored and refurbished, the royal apartments remind the visitor of the king’s court everyday life and the abiding power of the Renaissance. Since 1850, the château has hosted the fine arts museum of the town of Blois.

Opening of new rooms, projection of a sound & light show, special activities, immersive visits, biannual exhibitions; each and every season, numerous events showcase the castle’s collections, offering an unduplicable journey through a thousand years of history.