Château de Blois

The Royal Château de Blois is located in the city center of Blois at the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans.The Château of Blois effectively controlled the town of Blois and comprises several buildings. Construction of these buildings began in the 13th century and ended in the 17th century. There are four architectural styles represented at the Chateau of Blois which include: 13th-century Medieval fortress, The Louis XII Gothic wing, The Francois I Renaissance wing, and the Gaston of Orleans Classical wing. It has 564 rooms and 75 staircases although only 23 were used frequently. There are 100 bedrooms, with a fireplace in each.