This is a very nice town which I have several posts in my blog, However, as lately found me some older new pictures not in the blog yet and they should, Therefore, let me tell you about my curiosities of Blois, You know Blois is in the department 41, Loir et Cher of the Centre-Val de Loire region of my belle France. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Visiting Blois is above all like feeling the weight of numerous figures and events which have marked the French Kingdom. Between truth and legends, these great facts are a perfect summary of the troubled times of the Italian wars and Religious conflicts. Watch Catherine de Medici as she operates the hidden mechanism of her secret cabinet. Then follow the Duke of Guise, plotting against the king and walking across the apartments to his death. In front of the body of this murdered giant, you may use the same words as the King: “He looks even taller dead than alive”. When night falls, you marvel at the extraordinary Sound and Light of the castle, telling over a thousand years of History. Covered with the king’s colors, epic battle scenes or breathtaking plots, the castle will reveal itself under fireworks of colors and lights as the most incredible History book ever written.
You come to the Royal Castle of Blois. It is a must for any visitor to this region ,one of the grand castles of the Loire valley. The Château Royal de Blois It was the favorite residence of the kings of France in the Renaissance. Located in the heart of the city of Blois, on the right bank of the Loire river, the Royal Castle of Blois gathers around the same courtyard a panorama of the French architecture of the Middle Ages in the classical period which makes it a key building for the understanding of the evolution of the architecture over the centuries.
Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Laumer Church was originally the abbey church of a monastery built in the 12C. It takes the name of the founder of this abbey, Saint Laumer. Its construction began in the 12C. The choir, the transept and the first span of the nave are built from 1138 to 1186. The Church is finished at the beginning of the 13C. The Church is in the Middle Ages an important place of pilgrimage. It is indeed home to several relics: Saint Lubin, Saint Laumer, Holy Mary the Egyptian and a fragment of the Cross of Christ.
The Jardin du Roy or Royal garden of Blois. Attached to the Parc des Lices, this magnificent elevated garden offers a very beautiful panorama of the castle and its surroundings , Around the Royal castle, the Royal gardens reflect the history of the place thanks to the atmosphere of the three eras that they evoke on the different facades: Medieval, Renaissance and Classic. Originally created by Louis XII, these gardens were entirely redeveloped in 1992 into contemporary architectured and flowered gardens. Its beds of lilies, iris and daylilies but also its aromatic, condiment and medicinal plants are to be discovered in addition to its splendid panorama. The Parc des Lices, are located behind the royal castle, in fact, they were once part of the castle walls. These are pretty gardens arranged over two levels and consist of many trees, hedges and plan, The jardin des lices, made up of more than one hectare, is currently made up of grass and rows of trees. This space is located in the heart of the city and near the train station and the castlets. They also house a monument representing the goddess Diana, with her arch. Also called Jardin du Roy, or Jardin des Lices, the Jardin de Simples et de Fleurs Royales or the Garden of Herbs and Royal Flowers occupies part of the former royal gardens, just opposite the facade of the Loges, of the François 1er wing of the Royal Castle. From jardin des lices side of Castle towards St Louis Cathedral !!
The Jardins de l’Évêché are a public garden attached to the City/town hall of Blois. today’s garden closely resembles the original, as evidenced by a plan dating from 1793. Unique point of view on the typical landscapes of the Loire Valley, they are popular during the lunch break and by the children who come to enjoy the playgrounds. It includes a rose garden, located on the lower terrace, a garden of the five senses (or “garden of medicinal plants”) or a kiosk, for catering and refreshments during the summer season. The gardens of the Jardins de l’Evêché were redesigned in 1991 to accommodate a rose garden, a garden of the senses and an aromatic garden. The rose garden of the terraces of the Bishopric is located on the lower terrace: it offers bright colors and multiple scents from spring. The garden of the senses is a semi-enclosed place overlooking the old town and the Loire. It is located in the park, behind the current City/town hall at the impasse Saint Jean.
The City of Blois on the Bishop’s garden : https://www.blois.fr/annuaire/parcs-jardins-espaces-naturels/jardins-eveche
The Offiical Chateau de Blois:https://en.chateaudeblois.fr/2462-the-visit-itinerary.htm
There you go folks ,a hugely nice town that must be seen Hope you enjoy the post on the curiosities of Blois as I. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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