10 not-to-be-missed addresses in Blois

Lydia | 10/7/24, 3:08 PM

With its ancient alleyways, towering château and riverside quays, Blois exudes all the joie de vivre of the Loire Valley. Here are our ten addresses for enjoying the best of the town, which is also an ideal stopover for visiting Chambord and Chenonceau.

It's no coincidence that the royal town, so dear to François I, organizes the annual Rendez-vous de l'histoire, but Blois has never confined itself to its (very) rich past.Its theater, housed in the former Halle aux Grains, is one of the most sought-after contemporary stages, and the Fondation du Doute, designed by theThe Fondation du Doute, conceived by artist Ben, hosts national exhibitions every year, and the town is home to a young generation of designers and chefs who are brilliantly shaking up local traditions. A warm and lively town, Blois is also the gateway to France's most beautiful châteaux. What more could you need for a perfect family autumn weekend?

Where to stay in Blois?

Fleur de Loire, in Blois

Devotees of Fleur de Loire (Christopher Hay's stronghold) all wanted to extend the experience. Their wish has now been granted, as the talented chef has enhanced his table with a hotel that has become one of the region's HQs. A former hospice, the 17th-century building has been reinvented for the occasion by interior designer Caroline Tissier, who has produced a master stroke.... A bar organized around period pillars, two dining rooms with decor inspired by the changing colors of the Loire, and a Sisley spa extended by an outdoor swimming pool with a long lap pool. The 44 guest rooms (including 11 suites) offer the same unostentatious luxury, with their spaces decorated in shades of ochre and beige and contemporary furnishings. A special mention must also go to the room and terrace of the hotel's second Amour Blanc restaurant, set flush with the water, as a prelude to the gastronomic table. Inaugurated in 2022, the five-star hotel is a Relais & Châteaux member.

From 194 euros, breakfast included Quai Villebois Mareuil 41000 Blois.
Tel: 02 46 68 01 20

Le Bois des Chambres, Chaumont-sur-Loire

The address all Chaumont-sur-Loire lovers have been waiting for. Just 300m from the estate, the hotel is built around a magnificently restored 19th-century barn and stable, set against two contemporary buildings housing 39 rooms. These are sober, delicate refuges, with cameos of green or bronze, enhanced by pure white cathedral ceilings. Grey linen curtains separate the lounge and bedroom areas, reinforcing the warm, cosy atmosphere, with quilts covering beds of unusual shapes: 2m x 2m. A stone's throw away is the Grand Chaume restaurant, whose dining room resembles a celestial vault, pierced by a forest of white arrows. Guests enjoy chef Guillaume Foucault's exquisite, sustainable cuisine at tables shaped like toues (flat-bottomed boats typical of the Loire region), topped with Limoges porcelain lighting fixtures. A place in perfect osmosis with the spirit of Chaumont and its annual garden festival, which celebrates the links between nature and the arts.

From 176 euros, breakfast included. 41150 Chaumont-sur-Loire
Tel: 02 36 65 84 00

Eric Sander

Where to eat, drink and dine in Blois

Assa

Here's the review of this 3-toque restaurant:"Happy Blésois, who have so many opportunities these days to enjoy fine meals in diverse and remarkable settings. The majestic river flows down to the ocean, inspiring Anthony Maubert's reflections, staging and even flashes of brilliance." Read more

Le Bistrot du Cuisinier

Here's the review of this 1-toque restaurant:"A mainstay of the Quai Villebois-Mareuil, Thibaud Renard is committed to preserving local traditions, through local dishes, in both recipe and produce." Read more

20 quai Villebois Mareuil 41000 Blois
www.lebi strotducuisinier.fr

Le bar 15 Cent 15

In one of the château's outbuildings, the former Orangerie restaurant was converted into a contemporary brasserie just two years ago. L'Oratoire now offers a blend of French and Japanese-inspired cuisine, as well as a bar for excellent cocktails (with a special mention for the Cosmopolitain and Purple Rain) created by Bacardi Cup finalist Jordan Paulus. All served in a beautiful room with an imposing central bar, or on the terrace offering a 180° view of the castle.
▶ 1 avenue du Dr Jean Laigret 41000 Blois. Tel: 02 54 78 05 36

Things to see and do in Blois

Château Royal

The Château Royal sums up five centuries of French history, as successive owners - from the Counts of Blois to François I - have enriched it without ever destroying the existing structure. To grasp this richness, first visit the medieval hall with its ceiling covered with 6,000 fleur-de-lis, and discover a remarkable 3D reconstruction of the building's construction stages - from the original 12th-century fortress to the Renaissance splendor of the 17th century. We then move on to the wing designed by François I, with its external spiral staircase, the wing designed by Gaston d'Orléans, whose buildingThe Gaston d'Orléans wing features a facade flanked by a 30-metre-high dome, while the spectacular royal apartments and their period furnishings are also worth a visit. It's a great show, and one that's rounded off by a visit to the city's fine arts museum, housed in the Louis XIII wing. And finally, if you visit the château between the beginning of April and the end of September, don't miss the sumptuous Sons et Lumières show, presented every evening at 10pm.
▶ Place du château. Tel: 02 54 90 33 33

Scaliger - Adobe Stock

A stroll through the old town

Just a stone's throw from the Hôtel de Ville and the quays of the Loire, a maze of alleyways infuses all the soul of old Blois, with its mansions, medieval houses and vaulted passageways. Our favorite route? From Place Jean Jaurès, with its Halle aux grains converted into a theater and concert hall (excellent program), head for Rue du Puits Châtel, Rue Denis Papin with its staircases tumbling down from the gardens of the Evêché, or Rue du Commerce with Maison Buret. The city's best patisserie-chocolate shop, where you can sample the famous pavé de Blois, bite-sized morsels combining old-fashioned praline and crunchy nougatine.

Halles aux grains, 2 place Jean Jaurès 41000 Blois. Tel: 02 54 90 44 00
Maison Buret 20 rue du Commerce 41000 Blois. Tel: 02 54 78 02 96

Robert Houdin magic museum and Fondation du doute

Opposite the château, you can't miss the grand XIXᵉ mansion once owned by magician and inventor Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. Pure pleasure for young and old alike, the place has kept the inventor's poetry and imagination intact, with its attic resembling a movie set, where magic workshops are offered.ma attic, where magic workshops are held, and rooms where you can discover automatons and shadow puppets before moving on to the auditorium and its illusions show.

Also not to be missed, to fully appreciate the cultural richness of Blois, is the Fondation du Doute, designed by artist Ben in 2013 to promote the Fluxus movement and its desire to desacralize art. You enter this former convent via a courtyard where the tone is set by an impressive " Wall of Words " featuring 313 of Ben's Tableaux écritures, before discovering the permanent exhibition featuring works by 50 artists from the movement (Daniel Spoerri...). Nearby, the cloister offers temporary exhibitions, conferences and concerts, with a restaurant-bar decorated by Ben on the first floor.

Maison de la magie Robert Houdin, 1 Place du Château 41000 Blois. Tel: 02 54 90 33 33
Fondation du Doute 14 rue de la Paix 41000 Blois. Tel: 02 54 55 3740

Château de Chambord

The largest château in the Loire Valley, and the grandest too... Built by François I and completed by Louis XIV, who held sumptuous festivities here, this Renaissance masterpiece has left a lasting impression.Its façade is flanked by four round towers, magically reflected in the waters of the River Cosson. Also spectacular are the double staircase, which two people can climb simultaneously without ever meeting, and the interior of the château, with its 440 rooms (80 open today) topped by painted ceilings and adorned with salamanders. A stone's throw away, the terraces reveal the impressive Chambord estate: 5500h of forest, home to wild boar, roe deer and a hundred varieties of bird. Discover Chambord from the ground or in a hot-air balloon with Les Compagnons du vent, who offer flights over the château at dawn and dusk.

Château de Chambord 02 54 50 40 00
Les Compagnons du vent 73 ter rue de Nanteuil 41350 Vineuil. Tel: 06 61 20 33 93

Mister vlad - AdobeStock

Chenonceau castle

Known as the "Château des Dames" (Ladies' Castle) because it was once the refuge of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis, this Renaissance marvel is unmistakable for its 60m-long covered gallery overlooking the Cher River. You'll never tire of admiring the immense bridge, the keep or the turrets of the square pavilion.with the bedroom of the Five Queens (daughters and daughters-in-law of Catherine de Médicis), decorated with Flanders tapestries and paintings by Poussin, Veronese and Van Dyck. But here, the show is also on the outside, with gardens and flowerbeds, a farm and carriage gallery, and sublime orchards and vegetable gardens. A must-see, and if you wish, you can also take a canoe trip to the castle, which offers the unique experience of passing under the arches of the only bridge-castle in the world.

Château et jardins de Chenonceau, Tel: 08 20 20 90 90
Cher-Chenonceau 4km loop with Canoë Company. Tel: 06 37 01 89 92

An extra escape... A bike ride along the Loire

For many, this is the most beautiful cycling route in France. The 900km-long La Loire à Vélo route invites cyclists to follow Europe's last wild river along easily accessible itineraries, even for children. Leaving from Blois, you can choose from some thirty loops ranging from 10 to 40km, taking you to Chambord or Chaumont-sur-Loire, all on cycle paths laid out along the river banks, with the region's most beautiful villages as stop-off points.
▶ www.loireconcept.com

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Hotels & Bed & Breakfast

There are villages that you can only reach by slowing down. Listed, yes, but above all, they've remained intact, clinging to the hillside, curled up in a river bend or set at the end of a path that nobody takes by chance. You often arrive at the end of the day, when the light is catching on the tiles, the shutters are slamming gently and the smell of wet wood is wafting up from the alleyways. And there, behind a wrought-iron gate or a monumental portal, is a hotel. Sometimes it's a three-bedroom attic hotel, sometimes it's a five-star hotel in a lovingly restored former maison de maître. Marble has replaced cob, swimming pools have taken the place of former orchards, but the soul has remained. You'll sleep in the folds of the landscape, between centuries-old stone and precise service, in a rare luxury that doesn't seek to outshine the place. Les Bories & Spa in Gordes Here, ancient bories still dot the fields, as if the shepherds had just left. Some have been discreetly integrated into Les Bories & Spa, without breaking the line of the dry stonework. The farmhouse extends over eight hectares of olive and cypress trees, and under the roof tiles are 34 light-filled rooms, some of them in an old farmhouse. Luxury is discreet: plant-covered terraces, an enveloping spa and a glazed pool overlooking the Luberon. A peaceful address, just a few bends from the ochre silhouettes of Gordes and Roussillon. Price: €342 per night Where? 9 Route de Senanque, 84220 Gordes. Tel. 04 90 72 00 51See Gault&Millau's review of Les Bories & Spa Le Bailliage in Salers at the entrance to Salers, a listed village with gray lava houses and sculpted balconies, Le Bailliage has been perpetuating a sincere art of living for three generations. Since 2020, Antoine and Marion Bancarel, heirs to the house, have taken over the reins with discreet elegance. In this 23-room hotel, everything has been thoughtfully redesigned: intimate spa, homemade cuisine, no-frills welcome. The meat comes from the family's own farm, the rooms overlook the old gardens, and the air, at an altitude of a thousand metres, has that taste of meadows that you never forget. A warm and welcoming address, in the image of the village. Price: €124 per night 31 Rue Notre Dame, 15140 Salers. Tel : 04 71 40 71 95See Gault&Millau's review of Les Baillages La Capitelle in Mirmande Behind the light-colored walls of a house once inhabited by painter André Lhote, La Capitelle watches over the rooftops of this Drôme village with its Provencal palette. Eight sober, peaceful rooms, with views of the Ardèche mountains or the Rhône valley, extend the discreet charm of the sloping streets. Just eleven simple, bright rooms, a restaurant with slates that change according to the season, and the quiet attention of Ludivine and Sylvain Croce, who run the house with constancy. Price: €102 per night 1 rue du Boulanger- 26270, Mirmande. Tel : 04 75 63 02 72See Gault&Millau's review of La Capitelle Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa in Bonnieux Set in the heart of a 30-hectare vineyard, this hamlet unfurls its 63 rooms and suites, with their sober, mineral lines, over the landscapes of the Luberon. The Tata Harper spa, 2,000 m² of calm and light, offers lavender and grape treatments in a plant-based atmosphere. In the kitchen, Pierre Marty, a Ducasse disciple with Monaco and Macao experience, orchestrates the Avelan gastronomic table: five-course menu, raw-marinated sea bream from Grau du Roi, poultry Pithiviers... Patisserie by Aurélien Trousse, medallist at the French Dessert Championships. Here, Provence is expressed with precision, right down to the plate. Price: €497 per night Route du Perrotet, 84400 Gargas. Tel. : 04 90 74 71 71 See Gault&Millau's review of Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa Château de Troplong Mondot in Saint-Émilion Restored in 2019, Troplong Mondot cultivates the art of entertaining as an extension of the land. The main building, with its sober, warm lines, houses a communal lounge where the fire crackles on winter evenings. Here you can read, chat or simply watch the day fall over the rows of vines. In summer, the private terrace of each house opens onto the paths lined with low walls, typical of the local landscape. The rooms, divided between several of the estate's buildings, combine blond wood, deep fabrics and unobstructed views as far as the Saint-Émilion bell tower. In the morning, chef David Charrier serves a generous breakfast of seasonal fruit, homemade jams and warm pastries. Nothing ostentatious, but attention to every gesture, in a place that invites you to retreat. Price: €250 per night Château Troplong, Mondot - 33330 Saint-Laurent-des-Combes. Tel : 05 57 55 32 05See Gault&Millau's review of Château de Troplong Mondot Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey watches over the vines like a peaceful old soul. The estate, a famous premier grand cru classé, is now home to a hotel signed Lalique, thirteen rooms and suites subtly laid out in a 17thᵉ century château. Walls in reds and pinks evoking wine, antique beams and chiseled crystal faucets: every detail is a delicate nuance. Settle into the small lounge to enjoy a drink before joining, under the luminous glass roof, chef Jérôme Schilling's gastronomic table. A rare place of discreet elegance. Price: €504 per night 1707 Route des Gourgues, Lieu-dit Peyraguey- 33210 Bommes. Tel : 05 24 22 80 11See Gault&Millau's review of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Les Sources de Cheverny in Cheverny Les Sources de Cheverny is a gentle hamlet designed for sharing, in the wine-growing lands of the Loire Valley. at reception, the lacquered green box recalls the forest rangers' kiosks. The 49 rooms and suites, designed by Alice Tourbier and studio be-pôles, feature antiques, a bohemian atmosphere and lush natural views. The Caudalie spa, with its sober lines and recycled materials, has slipped into the old building, like a contemporary echo of the neighboring château's beams. On the terrace, sip a wine from the estate, the prelude to a Michelin-starred dinner in the Favori dining room. An elegant address, anchored in this Sologne village with its rich Loire heritage. Price: €279 per night 23 route de Fougère- 41700 Cheverny. Tel : 02 54 44 20 20See Gault&Millau's review of Les Sources de Cheverny Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa in Champillon Behind the walls of a former coaching inn lies another world: a vast 10,000 m² contemporary hotel, designed by architect Giovanni Pace, where champagne flows more often than coffee. The 49 rooms, suspended between vineyards and classified forest, offer the luxury of not rushing into anything. at the table, Christophe Raoux, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, orchestrates gourmet cuisine served on a terrace bordered by rose bushes and a very real kitchen garden. The spa, immense and hushed, is as much for guests as for curious neighbors. And if you listen carefully, you can still hear Dom Pérignon whispering from the bell tower of Hautvillers. Price: €1,041 per night 9 rue de la République- 51160 Champillon. Tel : 03 26 52 87 11See Gault&Millau's review of Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa

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