Blois

After Amboise, Blois (population 50,000) is the next town up the Loire.  It too has a chateau, but is in in the middle of the town so has no grounds to speak of; just a quadrangle enclosed by its four main wings, each of which is in a distinct architectural style.

Entrance to Chateau de Blois.

The Francois I octagonal staircase, from the courtyard.

The king's bedroom

Ceiling decoration.

Francois was also known as the "Knight King".

Stained glass window.

A griffon in his bathers.

Some tourists looking out a Blois and the Church of St Nicolas.

Blois is a very old town, having been around at least as long ago as 600 AD.  Joan of Arc based herself here when she was preparing to recapture the city of Orleans from the British in the Hundred Years War.  The stone bridge across the Loire was built in the 1700's.

The bridge over the Loire.

A wall of roses in The Rosarie at Blois.

At noon we heard music starting up, and witnessed the bizarre hourly display at the "House of Magic".  Windows opened and five huge dragon's heads emerged.  They waved about and snapped and growled a bit at the watching school kids, then after five minutes disappeared back into the buildings.

The House of Magic

Not quite as convincing as Weta Workshop's dragon in Wellington airport!