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Voykit pocket guide · France
Blois
Spend one full day in Blois: the royal château in the morning, then walk the old town and the Loire riverbank. It works as a base for Chambord and Cheverny.
Blois is a compact Loire Valley town with a royal château that spans four architectural periods, a medieval quarter and a cathedral. Most visitors arrive by train from Tours or Orléans, see the château and the Maison de la Magie, then use Blois as a launch point for the châteaux of Chambord and Cheverny. One night is enough; two if you cycle the Loire à Vélo route.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot), Dec–Feb (short days, some châteaux close early)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €1.50–3.00 |
| Baguette sandwich | €5–8 |
| Menu du jour (lunch set) | €12–18 |
| Beer (pint / bottle) | €5–7 |
| Château entry (Blois) | €12–15 |
| Maison de la Magie entry | €10–12 |
| Taxi from station to old town | €8–12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- TGV to Tours or Orléans, then regional train to Blois; about 2.5 h total
- ORY · Paris Orly
- RER B to Paris-Austerlitz, then train; about 2.5 h
- TUF · Tours Val de Loire
- Small airport with seasonal flights; train from Tours to Blois, about 40 min
Typical fares
- Train Blois → Tours
- about €8–12, 35 min (check)
- Bus Blois → Chambord
- about €3 one way, 30 min (check)
- Taxi station → old town
- €8–12
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old town and château are walkable. Azalys buses cover the wider area; a one-hour ticket costs €1.25 (cash, 2022 price — check). Bikes can be rented at the station or the campsite for the Loire à Vélo route.
See and do
Known for
- Château Royal de Blois
- Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin
- Loire riverfront and medieval streets
- Gateway to Chambord and Cheverny
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chambord | Bus (Azalys line 2) or bike (about 18 km (11 mi) on the Loire à Vélo path)Bus (Azalys line 2) or bike (about 11 mi (18 km) on the Loire à Vélo path) | About 30 min by bus, 1 h by bike |
| Cheverny | Bus (Azalys line 4) or bike (about 15 km (9.3 mi))Bus (Azalys line 4) or bike (about 9.3 mi (15 km)) | About 25 min by bus, 50 min by bike |
| Amboise | Train (TER) from Blois-Chambord station, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Tours | Train (TER), about 35 min | About 45 min |
| Orléans | Train (TER), about 40 min | About 50 min |
Sleep
- Old town (Vieux Blois)
- Within walking distance of the château, restaurants and the river; narrow streets, limited parking.
- Near the train station (Gare de Blois-Chambord)
- Practical for one night; budget hotels and easy access to buses and taxis.
- Val de Blois campsite
- Outside the centre in Vineuil; best with a car or bike. Bicycle hire on site.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Please | S’il vous plaîtseel voo pleh |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo eh la gahr |
| The bill, please | L’addition, s’il vous plaîtla-dee-syon seel voo pleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The château closes earlier in winter (check the official site for hours).
- Restaurants in the old town may close on Sunday and Monday; book ahead in summer.
- The Loire riverbank can flood after heavy rain; check local warnings.
Blois is a safe small city. Watch for pickpockets in the château queue and on crowded market days (Saturday and Wednesday). The riverbank has no railings in places — keep children close.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Blois yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Château Royal de Blois
- Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin
- Loire riverfront and medieval streets
- Gateway to Chambord and Cheverny
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Blois official website: www.blois.fr/
- Azalys bus network: bus.azalys.agglopolys.fr
- Wikivoyage: Blois, revision 5256344 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5256344
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/blois). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.