Blois Château

In the center of Blois is the spacious Place Victor-Hugo, with the 17th century church of St-Vincent and the Pavillon d'Anne de Bretagne, set against the majestic backdrop of the Château with its loggias and galleries and oriel windows.

The Château, built in stages between the 13th and the 17th century, reflects changing architectural styles over five centuries.

It is laid out around a large central courtyard, partly open only on the southeast side. The Château is entered through the Louis XII wing (1498-1503), built in red brick and natural stone. Over both the large and the small doorway appears the crowned porcupine, the emblem of Louis XII, and above the large doorway, framed in Late Gothic ornament, is an equestrian figure of Louis, a 19th century copy of the original.

The interior of the Louis XII wing is supported on arcaded walkways, with winding stairways in staircase towers to left and right. On the right, after such a projecting tower, is the Salle des Etats, a remnant of the 13th century castle. Adjoining this is the Francis II wing (1515-24), a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, with the famous richly decorated octagonal staircase. Around the corner (opposite the entrance) lies the southwest wing, built between 1635 and 1638 by François Mansart for Louis XIII's brother Gaston d'Orléans. Parts of the Francis I wing had to be removed in order to construct it. However, the three-story building remains unfinished; it now houses the library and municipal festival hall.