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Blois
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BLOIS
, the former seat of the dukes of OrlA©ans, is a handsome town with much character. Its biggest drawback is the modern town around the centre, and particularly the broad, fast-moving boulevard that rings its
chA?teau
as if it were a mere traffic island rather than a sensational piece of architecture. There are, however, plenty of places around place Victor-Hugo that offer excellent views of the exterior of the building, Italian loggias and all, and it's worth braving the traffic for the pleasure of a non-guided visit around rooms steeped in power and intrigue.
If you want to get out into the countryside, head for one of the several stretches of woodland around Blois, which include the
ForA?t de Blois
to the west of the town on the north bank of the Loire, the
Parc de Chambord
and the
ForA?t de Boulogne
, around the ChA?teau de Chambord, further upstream. And if you haven't yet tired of chA?teaux, you have a choice of several fine examples within easy reach of the town. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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France,
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