Loire Valley Castles TourChâteau de Blois: A Visitor's Guide to the Royal Castle
The Château de Blois is the royal castle in the centre of Blois, and this page walks you through it. It packs four wings in four architectural styles around one courtyard, it was home to 7 kings and 10 queens of France, and it sits 500 metres from Blois-Chambord station. The château says a self-guided or audioguide visit takes 1 to 1.5 hours, so it fits easily into a Loire day. Blois is also the best base for seeing Chambord and Cheverny without a car, and the castle appears as a lunch stop on one of the Loire Valley castle tours leaving Paris.
The brick and stone Louis XII wing of the Château royal de Blois seen across the courtyard. Photo: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The short answer
The Château de Blois is open daily except 1 January and 25 December, from 10:00 to 17:00 in winter and 9:00 to 18:30 from 1 April to 30 September. A self-guided or audioguide visit takes 1 to 1.5 hours, and last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The dated entry ticket is booked through the entry ticket further down this page.
Key takeaways
- The castle holds four wings in four styles, medieval, Gothic, Renaissance and Classical, around one courtyard, and houses a fine arts museum with more than 35,000 works. See what to see inside.
- Short on time? The Loire Valley Castles Day Trip with Wine Tasting from Paris at $115 includes free time in Blois with skip-the-line entry to Chambord and Chenonceau.
- Blois works as a car-free base. Chambord is about 25 minutes away by car and the Rémi line 2 bus links the station to Chambord year-round in about 35 minutes.
- Prefer a small van? The Small-Group Loire Valley Castles Tour from Paris covers Chambord, Chenonceau and Amboise in 12 hours for up to 8 people.
Visiting the Château de Blois: Hours, Tickets and Time
Everything practical sits in one place here, from the seasonal opening hours to how long the château itself says to allow.
Hours, Tickets and Practical Details
The château closes only on 1 January and 25 December. Hours change with the season, and last entry is always 30 minutes before closing. On 24 and 31 December the château closes early at 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. The château itself says a self-guided or audioguide visit takes 1 to 1.5 hours, so a morning arrival leaves the afternoon free for a second sight in town. Blois-Chambord station is about 500 metres from the castle, with the bus station opposite, and the train from Paris takes 1 hour 30 minutes. The dated entry ticket is booked through the entry ticket further down this page.
Sources: figures from the château's own visitor pages and the Blois-Chambord tourist office.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| High season hours | 9:00 to 18:30 from 1 April to 30 September |
| Winter hours | 10:00 to 17:00 from 5 January to 28 February and from 2 November to 18 December |
| March hours | 10:00 to 17:30 |
| Early October hours | 9:00 to 18:00 from 1 to 16 October, then 9:00 to 18:30 from 17 October to 1 November |
| Closing days | 1 January and 25 December, with early close at 17:00 on 24 and 31 December |
| Last entry | 30 minutes before closing |
| How long to allow | 1 to 1.5 hours self-guided or with audioguide, per the château |
| Getting there | Blois-Chambord station about 500 m away, bus station opposite, 1 h 30 from Paris by train |
| Parking | not stated |
| Tickets | The dated entry ticket is booked through the entry ticket further down |
| Guided visit | General guided tour at €5 extra, themed tours such as 'Under the queens' petticoats' at €7 extra, audioguide at €3 extra |
When to Go, Free Entry and Seasonal Differences
April to September gives you the longest day and the evening sound and light show, which runs nightly in those months plus part of the October half-term and lasts 45 minutes. Winter hours run 10:00 to 17:00. The château is free for under 6s and for disabled visitors with a companion.
A family trail runs on the audioguide in French and English. The HistoPad tablet adds a geolocated map on three floors and 3D reconstructions of the château at its four building periods. The Blois tourist office advises no more than two castles a day, so pairing Blois with Chambord or Cheverny keeps the day realistic.
Combined tickets exist with the Maison de la magie and the Fondation du doute in the same square.
Sources: Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, Blois-Chambord tourist office
What to See, in Visiting Order
The visit loops the four wings around the central courtyard. Each wing is a different century and a different style, which is the point of Blois.
The Courtyard and the Four Wings
You enter through the Louis XII wing into a single courtyard framed by four façades, one per style: medieval, Gothic, Renaissance and Classical. The château describes itself as the favourite residence of 7 kings and 10 queens of France, and the courtyard is where you read that story in stone. Félix Duban restored the château in the 19th century.
The Estates General Room
This hall dates from the early 13th century and ranks among the largest surviving Gothic secular halls in France. Joan of Arc came to Blois in 1429 to be blessed before leaving with her army. The HistoPad includes 3D reconstructions of the château at its four building periods.
The Louis XII Wing
Louis XII rebuilt the entrance wing in the early 16th century. It is also a museum wing: the Musée des Beaux-Arts was created here in 1850 and holds more than 35,000 works, with Ingres, Rubens and Boucher among the names on show. The château is fully furnished, and the château allows 1 to 1.5 hours for the whole visit.
The François I Wing and the Spiral Staircase
The François I wing is the Renaissance wing. Its spiral staircase is the château's most renowned feature and served as a model for Chambord. Henry III had the Duke of Guise assassinated at Blois on 23 December 1588, and his brother the Cardinal was killed the next day.
The Gaston D'Orléans Wing
Gaston of Orléans began the Classical wing in 1634 with François Mansart as architect. It is the fourth style around the courtyard, after the medieval, Gothic and Renaissance wings. The contrast from the courtyard is the point: four styles in one frame.
The Dramatic History of Château de Blois - Including an Exiled Queen's Rope Ladder Escape!
A walk through the Blois castle courtyard and rooms, with the stories of the kings who lived there. Third-party video by Miles Away with Us. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
A Short History of the Château de Blois
Four wings tell four centuries of royal life. The château was the favourite residence of 7 kings and 10 queens of France.
From a Gothic Hall to a Royal Palace
The oldest part standing today is the Estates General Room, which dates from the early 13th century and ranks among the largest surviving Gothic secular halls in France. In 1429 Joan of Arc came to Blois to be blessed before leaving with her army. Charles d'Orléans, the poet duke, returned here after 25 years as a hostage in England. Louis XII rebuilt the entrance wing in the early 16th century, and the château became a full royal residence.
His successor François I added the Renaissance wing with the open spiral staircase that is still the château's most renowned feature. The château itself says that staircase served as a model for the double-helix stair at Château de Chambord.
Murder, Mansart and Restoration
Blois saw one of the darkest nights of the French court. Henry III had the Duke of Guise assassinated there on 23 December 1588, and the Duke's brother the Cardinal was killed the next day. In 1634 Gaston of Orléans began a new wing designed by François Mansart, the Classical block that completes the courtyard.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts was created in the Louis XII wing in 1850, and Félix Duban restored the whole château in the 19th century. Today it is fully furnished and houses more than 35,000 works, including paintings by Ingres, Rubens and Boucher.
Key Dates
The table pulls together the years named by the château, the tourist office and reference works. Use it to place each wing and event before you walk the courtyard.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early 13th century | The Estates General Room, a major Gothic secular hall, is built |
| 1429 | Joan of Arc is blessed at Blois before leaving with her army |
| Early 16th century | Louis XII rebuilds the entrance wing |
| François I's reign | The Renaissance wing rises with the famous spiral staircase |
| 23 December 1588 | Henry III has the Duke of Guise assassinated at Blois |
| 1634 | Gaston of Orléans starts the Classical wing by François Mansart |
| 1850 | The Musée des Beaux-Arts is created in the Louis XII wing |
| 19th century | Félix Duban restores the château |
The Louis XII wing entrance at Blois with the carved equestrian statue above the door. Photo: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There Without a Car, and With One
Blois is one of the easiest Loire châteaux to reach without driving, because the station sits about 500 metres from the gate.
By Train to Blois-Chambord Station
Blois-Chambord station is about 500 metres from the château, with the bus station opposite, so the walk from platform to courtyard is short. The Blois-Chambord tourist office puts Blois at 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris by train, while the Cheverny château's own page quotes 1 hour 40 for the same route, so plan for somewhere in that band. By car Blois is about 2 hours from Paris.
All Rémi regional trains take bicycles on board, which matters if you want to continue to the other castles.
Onward Buses, Shuttles and Bikes
Blois works well as a base. The Rémi line 2 bus runs year-round from Blois-Chambord station to Chambord, taking about 35 minutes, departing Blois at 9:20 and 12:20 and returning from Chambord at 13:10 and 17:00. Shuttles from Blois also serve Cheverny and Chaumont-sur-Loire, so check the Blois tourist office for current times.
The tourist office says the castles around Blois sit 15 to 20 km apart for cyclists, which makes the town a practical hub for a Loire Valley bike tour. For the full comparison of lines and fares, see Paris to Loire Valley by train.
By Car
Drivers reach Blois in about 2 hours from Paris. The tourist office advises visiting no more than two castles a day, which is sensible when you factor in parking, walking and the 1 to 1.5 hours the château itself asks for inside. More route options sit on the Loire Valley map.
Seeing the Château de Blois on a Tour
Honest note: almost none of the bookable Loire day tours go inside the Château de Blois.
The One Tour That Stops in Blois
Only one tour in the comparison reaches Blois, and it does not enter the château. Loire Valley Castles Day Trip with Wine Tasting costs $115 per person and runs 12.5-13 hours from Paris by coach. Its Blois stop is free time, including a lunch stop, so if you want the François I staircase you buy your own entry that day, or you come back and do Blois properly on its own. The tour's entry tickets cover Chambord and Chenonceau instead. Lunch is not included in the price.
If you would rather enter castles with a guide, the Paris small-group day Small-Group Loire Valley Castles Tour at $280, or the Tours departure Loire Valley Castles Tour from Tours and Amboise at $231, both include Chambord and Chenonceau entry. Neither visits Blois, which is exactly why doing Blois on your own from the station makes sense. Compare every departure on Loire Valley castle tours.
Tour Options at a Glance
The table lists the tours from the comparison that touch Blois in any way, with the price as listed on each card. Entry in price means entry to the castles named, not to the Château de Blois itself.
| Tour | Price | Leaves from | Entry in price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loire Valley Castles Day Trip with Wine Tasting | $115 per person | Paris | Chambord and Chenonceau only, Blois is free time |
Tips for Visiting the Château de Blois
Do
- Do arrive before the last entry, because the château stops admitting visitors 30 minutes before closing.
- Do check the season before you go, because hours shift from 10:00 to 17:00 in deep winter to 9:00 to 18:30 from April to September.
- Do stay for the sound and light show in summer, because it runs nightly from April to September, lasts 45 minutes and carries simultaneous translation in 10 languages.
- Do take the HistoPad or audioguide if you like context, because the HistoPad maps three floors and rebuilds the château in 3D at its four building periods.
- Do pair Blois with Chambord in one day, because the two are linked by a bus that leaves Blois station at 9:20 and 12:20.
Don't
- Don't plan more than two castles in a day, because the Blois tourist office advises exactly that limit.
- Don't come on 1 January or 25 December, because the château is closed both days.
- Don't expect a guide to bring you here, because bookable Loire day tours from Paris and Tours enter Chambord and Chenonceau and treat Blois, at most, as a free-time stop.
- Don't buy a multi-castle pass if you qualify for a discount, because the pass packages are not recommended for children, students or seniors, who pay less with individual tickets.
Book the Entry Ticket
A dated e-ticket is the one thing to sort before the day if you visit without a tour. The price is the lowest adult rate on the booking page, and free-entry rules still apply at the gate where the chateau offers them.
Ticket and Price
The table lists the entry ticket for this chateau with its starting price and the rating travellers gave it on the booking page. Prices change by date and option, so the final figure shows at checkout.
| Ticket | Price | Rating | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Château royal de Blois | from $17.93 | 4.6 from 842 reviews | Check Availability |
Château de Blois Questions
Who lived in the Château de Blois?
The château was the favourite residence of 7 kings and 10 queens of France. Joan of Arc passed through in 1429, Henry III ordered the killing of the Duke of Guise there in 1588, and Gaston of Orléans built the Classical wing. The full story is in the history section above.
When was the Château de Blois built?
It grew in stages. The Gothic Estates General Room dates from the early 13th century, Louis XII rebuilt the entrance wing in the early 16th century, François I added the Renaissance wing, and Gaston of Orléans commissioned the Classical wing from François Mansart in 1634.
Is the François I staircase at Blois worth the trip?
The château calls its open spiral staircase in the François I wing its most renowned feature, and reference works note it served as a model for Chambord's double-helix stair. If you love that staircase, read the Château de Chambord guide next.
How do I get to the Château de Blois from Paris without a car?
Take the train to Blois-Chambord station, which is about 500 metres from the château, in roughly 1 hour 30 minutes according to the tourist office. Buses to Chambord leave from the station opposite. The wider options are on Paris to Loire Valley.
Can I visit Blois and Chambord in one day by public transport?
Yes. The Rémi line 2 bus runs year-round from Blois-Chambord station to Chambord in about 35 minutes, with departures from Blois at 9:20 and 12:20. Chambord itself says to allow at least an hour and a half for the essentials, so start early. Details sit in the getting there section.
Should I use Blois as my base for a Loire Valley castles trip?
It is a strong base. The château sits 500 metres from the station, shuttles run to Cheverny and Chaumont, and the castles around Blois sit 15 to 20 km apart for cyclists. See the guides to Château de Cheverny and where to stay in Loire Valley.