Blois

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For other uses, see Blois (disambiguation).

Ville de Blois
Prefecture and commune
Panoramic view of Blois on the Loire river, from Vienne, on the lef bank
Panoramic view of Blois on the Loire river, from Vienne, on the lef bank
Coat of arms of Ville de Blois
Coat of arms
Location of Ville de Blois
Ville de Blois is located in France
Ville de Blois
Ville de Blois
Ville de Blois is located in Centre-Val de Loire
Ville de Blois
Ville de Blois
Coordinates: 47°35′38″N 1°19′41″E / 47.5939°N 1.3281°E / 47.5939; 1.3281Coordinates: 47°35′38″N 1°19′41″E / 47.5939°N 1.3281°E / 47.5939; 1.3281
CountryFrance
RegionCentre-Val de Loire
DepartmentLoir-et-Cher
ArrondissementBlois
CantonBlois-1, 2 and 3 and Vineuil
IntercommunalityCA Blois Agglopolys
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Marc Gricourt (PS)
Area
1
37.46 km2 (14.46 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2019)[1]
45,898
 • Density1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Bloisian
French: Blésois(e)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
41018 /41000
Elevation63–135 m (207–443 ft)
(avg. 73 m or 240 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Blois (/blwɑː/ BLWAH; French: [blwɑ] (audio speaker iconlisten)) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France,[2] situated on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours.[3]

With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the department, and the 4th of the region.

Historically, the city was the capital of the county of Blois, created on 832 until its integration into the Royal domain in 1498, when Count Louis II of Orléans became King Louis XII of France. During the Rennaissance, Blois is the official residence of the King of France.

History[edit]

Though of ancient origin, Blois is first distinctly mentioned by Gregory of Tours in the 6th century, and the city gained some notability in the 9th century, when it became the seat of a powerful countship known as Blesum castrum.[4] In 1171, Blois was the site of a blood libel against its Jewish community that led to 31 Jews (by some accounts 40) being burned to death.[5] Their martyrdom also contributed to a prominent and durable school of poetry inspired by Christian persecution.[6] In 1196, Count Louis granted privileges to the townsmen; a commune, which survived throughout the Middle Ages, probably dated from this time. The counts of the Châtillon line resided at Blois more often than their predecessors, and the oldest parts of the château (from the thirteenth century) were built by them. In 1429, Joan of Arc made Blois her base of operations for the relief of Orléans. Joan of Arc rode the thirty-five miles on Wednesday 29 April to Blois to relieve Orléans.[7] After his captivity in England, Charles of Orléans in 1440 took up his residence in the château, where in 1462 his son, afterwards Louis XII, was born. In the 16th century Blois was often the resort of the French court. The Treaty of Blois, which temporarily halted the Italian Wars, was signed there in 1504–1505.

The city's inhabitants included many Calvinists, and in 1562 and 1567 it was the scene of struggles between them and the supporters of the Catholic Church. In 1576 and 1588 Henri III, king of France, chose Blois as the meeting-place of the States-General, and in 1588 he brought about the murders of Henry, duke of Guise, and his brother, Louis, archbishop of Reims and cardinal, in the Château, where their deaths were shortly followed by that of the queen-mother, Catherine de' Medici. From 1617 to 1619 Marie de' Medici, wife of King Henri IV, exiled from the court, lived at the château, which was soon afterwards given by King Louis XIII to his brother Gaston, Duke of Orléans, who lived there till his death in 1660.

The bishopric, seated at Blois Cathedral, dates from the end of the 17th century. In 1814 Blois was for a short time the seat of the regency of Marie Louise, wife of Napoleon I.

Blois was occupied during World War II by the German army, which took the city on 18 June 1940. The city was liberated by American soldiers during the last two weeks of August 1944. On both occasions, the city withstood several days of bombing.

Population[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 13,280—    
1800 14,900+1.66%
1806 13,054−2.18%
1821 15,147+1.00%
1831 13,138−1.41%
1836 13,628+0.74%
1841 16,156+3.46%
1846 17,149+1.20%
1851 17,749+0.69%
1856 17,749+0.00%
1861 20,331+2.75%
1866 20,068−0.26%
1872 19,860−0.17%
1876 20,515+0.81%
1881 21,077+0.54%
1886 22,150+1.00%
1891 23,457+1.15%
1896 23,542+0.07%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 23,789+0.21%
1906 23,972+0.15%
1911 23,955−0.01%
1921 23,989+0.01%
1926 23,991+0.00%
1931 24,607+0.51%
1936 26,025+1.13%
1946 26,774+0.28%
1954 28,190+0.65%
1962 33,838+2.31%
1968 42,264+3.78%
1975 49,778+2.37%
1982 47,243−0.74%
1990 49,318+0.54%
1999 49,171−0.03%
2007 47,854−0.34%
2012 45,903−0.83%
2017 46,086+0.08%
Source: EHESS[8] and INSEE (1968-2017)[9]

Landmarks and tourism[edit]

Blois Cathedral
The Jacques-Gabriel Bridge with the cathedral over the Loire river
Château of Blois (view from the South)
Château of Blois (view from inside)
St. Nicolas Blois Church

Since 1986, Blois is part of the French Towns of Art and History program, which promotes the cultural and historical estate.

Château of Blois[edit]

The Château of Blois, a Renaissance château once occupied by King Louis XII, is located in the centre of the city, and an 18th-century stone bridge spans the Loire. It was also the residence of many Counts of Blois, who were amongst the most closest vassals to the King of France between the 9th and the 14th century. Many gardens are located around the château. As Blois is built on a pair of steep hills, winding and steep pathways run through the city, culminating in long staircases at various points. To the south of the city, the Forêt de Russy is a reminder of the thick woods that once covered the area.

The house of magic[edit]

La Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin (The House of Magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin) is a museum fronting on the Château. As a museum of France, it is the only public museum in Europe which incorporates in one place collections of magic and a site for permanent performing arts, and is directly reflects the personality of Robert-Houdin.[10][11][12][13]

Comic museum[edit]

Blois is also the location of Maison de la BD, a museum devoted to the art of comic books.[14] Since the 1980s, this museum hosts an annual comic festival in late November called BD Boum,[15] described as "the leading free comic book festival in France".[16]

Blois-Vienne and the Loire river[edit]

Blois-Vienne (or merely Vienne) is the name given to the southern part of the city, on the left bank of the Loire river. Independent from the city until 1606, there are many traces of the river's past. The main link between both banks is the Jacques-Gabriel Bridge, built in the early 18th century. From the levees to other abandonned bridges, Vienne has also conserved a harbour, named La Creusille, which is now an urban park right on the La Loire à Vélo bike route.[17]

Religious buildings[edit]

The city also is provided with many religious edifices, including:

Transport[edit]

The Gare de Blois railway station offers direct connections to Paris, Orléans, Tours, Nantes and several regional destinations. The A10 motorway connects Blois with Paris, Orléans and Tours.

Personalities linked to Blois[edit]

Historical and political figures[edit]

--

Artists[edit]

Artisans[edit]

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Blois was the hometown of many artisans in the watchmaking and goldsmithing industries.[18] Among them:

  • Julien Coudray, who was one of the first watchmakers in Blois according to Tardy, worked for Kings Louis XII and Francis I. There is a street in Blois that holds his name.
  • the Cuper family : the Louvre museum possesses two watches made by Michel Cuper, and two other ones by P. Cuper. A street also hols their name in the city.
  • the Bellanger family.
  • Guillaume Couldroit, whom the British Museum has a table clock.[19]
  • Jacques de la Garde, whom the British Museum has a strikling clock,[20] and whom a table clock can be found in the National Museum of the Renaissance in Écouen, France.[21]
  • Charles Perras, whom 2 watches can be found in the British Museum[22], as well as in the Victoria and Albert Museum.[23]
  • the Duduict brothers
  • Blaise Foucher, Duiduict's disciple, whom the British Museum possesses one watchcase.[24]
  • the Vautier family, among whom the British Museum has several Louis' watchcases.[25]
  • the Gribelin family
  • the Girard family
  • Christophe Morlière
  • Pierre Brisson
  • Paul Viet
  • Jean Bonbruict, whom the British Museum has a silver coach watch.[26]
  • Nicolas Lemaindre
  • Pierre Landré
  • Pierre Chartier
  • François Laurier
  • Henry Massy
  • Robert Vauquer

Intellectuals[edit]

Sportspersons[edit]

International relations[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Blois is twinned with:

  • Germany Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany, since 30 June 1963
  • Germany Weimar, Germany, since 18 February 1995
  • United Kingdom Lewes, United kingdom, since 30 June 1963[28]
  • Romania Sighişoara, Romania, since 18 November 1995
  • Italy Urbino, Italy, since 1 May 2003 ("friendship protocol")
  • Vietnam Huế, Vietnam, since 23 May 2007
  • Morocco Azrou, Morocco, since July 2011 (protocol of cooperation)[29]

Fictional references[edit]

Athos, the count of La Fère (from Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers) has a castle in Blois, in Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne (from the same author).

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Populations légales 2019". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2021.
  2. ^ INSEE commune file
  3. ^ "Blois | Loire Valley | France". www.experienceloire.com. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  4. ^ "The Chateau de Blois & St Nicholas Cathedral, Blois from the river Loire | Artware Fine Art". www.artwarefineart.com. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  5. ^ The Martyrs of Blois
  6. ^ JEWISH POETRY Jewish Poetry And Martyrdom in Medieval France. Susan L. Einbinder. Princeton University Press. 2002.
  7. ^ Smith, John, Holland (1973). "Joan of Arc." New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
  8. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Blois, EHESS. (in French)
  9. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  10. ^ Blois, La Maison de la Magie at virtourist.com
  11. ^ "Mussee de la Magie". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  12. ^ "Travel signposts, Paris Museum of Magic". Archived from the original on 2 March 2011.
  13. ^ "Keck, Gayle, Washington Post, And Now for Paris' Next Trick". The Washington Post. 12 June 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  14. ^ https://www.blois.fr/en/attractive/remarkable/comic-strip-house
  15. ^ https://maisondelabd.com/information
  16. ^ https://www.blois.fr/en/attractive/festive/bd-boum
  17. ^ On the Blois City Official Website (2022). "La Creusille Harbour". blois.fr.
  18. ^ Tardy (1972). Dictionnaire des Horlogers Francais. Tardy Paris. p. 760.
  19. ^ "Table clock, by Guillaume Couldroit". British Museum.
  20. ^ "Strikling clock, by Jacques de la Garde". British Museum.
  21. ^ "Table clock, by Jacques de la Garde". Écouen Museum.
  22. ^ "Sundial watches, by Charles Perras". British Museum.
  23. ^ "Sundial watches, by Charles Perras". Google Arts and Culture.
  24. ^ "Watchcase, by Blaise Foucher". British Museum.
  25. ^ "Watchcases, by Louis Vautier". British Museum.
  26. ^ "Coach watch, by Jean Bonbruict". British Museum.
  27. ^ "Alexis Khazzaka - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  28. ^ "British towns twinned with French towns [via WaybackMachine.com]". Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  29. ^ "Jumelages et coopération internationale". Ville de Blois (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2021.

External links[edit]


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