Weekend in Blois with Chambord and Cheverny

A weekend based in Blois that pairs the royal town's own Renaissance treasures with two of the Loire Valley's grandest châteaux. The first day unfolds entirely on foot through Blois itself — from the Royal Castle, where four centuries of French architecture share a single courtyard, to the House of Magic dedicated to the city's native son Robert-Houdin, the Cathedral of Saint-Louis with Jan Dibbets' contemporary stained glass, and the terraced Bishop's Palace Gardens above the Loire. The second day heads into the countryside to Chambord, the valley's largest castle with its double-helix staircase attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and rooftop terraces overlooking 5,440 hectares of forest, followed by Cheverny — a 17th-century manor still in the same family after six centuries, recognizable to Tintin fans as Captain Haddock's Moulinsart. The pace is balanced: intensive sightseeing in Blois on day one, a more relaxed château-hopping rhythm on day two. The House of Magic opens only from April to early November, so plan accordingly if visiting outside that window.