Car Hire Blois - Mini guide to Blois

Situated 37 miles north east of Tours, this small city receives hordes of tourists each year. Set against the Loire, next to the hillside, this pleasant town is filled with intersecting lanes that were built in the Middle Ages.

Primarily, people visit Blois to see the great Chateau de Blois. Steeped in history and macabre stories of betrayal and revenge, every section of the castle holds something of historical importance. The building itself is like an illustrated storybook of French architecture.

It's best just to experience the town on foot; you'll find cobblestone streets and restored white houses with slate roofs and red brick chimneys. Head to the rue du Commerce, or the rue St Martin, if you feel like shopping. There, you'll discover specialist shops selling antiques, handicrafts and superb chocolate.

There are plenty of recommended restaurants around town, the grandest of these is, L'Orangerie du Château, on 1 av. Jean-Laigret. Even though Blois is not really a town for ' ravers', it does have a few places to go for a drink. Pub Mancini, 1 rue du Puits-Châtel, boasts over 100 brands of beer.

There's no better way to explore the Loire valley than to take a bicycle. Most of this region is very agreeable, relatively flat, and most scenic. If you'd like to explore the area by bike, go to Cycles Le Blond, 44 levée des Tuileries.

The nearest airport is in Tours, and five trains arrive in Blois from Tours each day. The Paris-Austerlitz line via Orléans delivers six trains per day from Paris. If you're driving from Tours, take RN152 east to Blois.