Château de Blois, Royal château in Blois, France.
The Château de Blois is a royal residence in Blois in the Loire Valley, composed of several wings around a courtyard. Each wing shows a different building style, from Gothic medieval to classical symmetry, offering insight into architectural evolution over three centuries.
The site began as the Blisum castrum, attacked by Vikings in 854; the Counts of Blois rebuilt it, and in the 13th century the Châtillon family reconstructed the castle, of which the great hall and the Tour du Foix survive. Guy II de Blois-Châtillon sold it in 1392 to Louis d'Orléans, who took possession in 1397. Louis XII, born here in 1462, made it his main residence from 1498 and rebuilt the entrance wing with Anne of Brittany; Francis I added the Renaissance wing from 1515, and Gaston d'Orléans had Mansart begin his classical wing in 1634, halted in 1638.
The name comes from the French kings who lived here over the centuries and reshaped the building according to their tastes. Visitors today can walk through the royal chambers and observe the different styles, from medieval vaults to bright Renaissance windows.
The courtyard is open to visitors and allows a first overview of the different wings and their facades. Guided visits help understand the rooms and architecture better, as many details can easily be missed otherwise.
The open spiral staircase in the Francis I wing, built from 1515, has sculpted bas-reliefs and looks onto the courtyard; it served as a model for the staircase at Chambord. In 1588 Henry III had the Duke of Guise killed in his own chamber on the second floor, and the Duke's brother, the Cardinal of Guise, the next day.
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