Château de Blois
The Royal Château de Blois (French: "Château Royal de Blois") is a palace in France. It is in the center of the city of Blois in the Loir-et-Cher Department. It has been the home for several French kings.
The château is made of several buildings constructed from the 13th to the 17th century around the main courtyard. It has 564 rooms and 75 staircases although only 23 were used frequently. There is a fireplace in each room. There are 100 bedrooms.
The château is now owned by the town of Blois and is a tourist attraction.
Château De Blois Media
Château de Blois, lithograph by C. Molle from a drawing by Charles-Caïus Renoux
Interior of the Estates General Room
The interior of the Louis XII wing, with the chapel to the right
The "King's Chamber" with King Henry IV's H in the floor tiles
The "Chamber of Secrets", allegedly believed to be Catherine de' Medici's secret hiding place for poisons
The rear of the Francis I wing, facing over central Blois in the 1890s
The rear of the wing in 2007
The Château's most renowned feature, the spiral staircase in the Francis I wing
