Blois, France to Sarlat la Caneda … last day in Blois and a travel day
Categories France, France & Spain Road trip 2025....on the road yet againSeptember 3, 2025 – Blois
Today is our last day in Blois, and with fine weather overhead, we decide to stay local and explore more of the town itself including the Denis Papin staircase, which each year is given a new look by an artist…
.…as we head towards the Château Royal de Blois, an impressive residence with a fascinating history and an integral fine arts museum:
The Château Royal de Blois served as a royal residence for seven French kings and ten queens between the 15th and 17th centuries. Its great charm lies in its architectural variety: four distinct wings built in Gothic, Flamboyant, Renaissance, and Classical styles form a harmonious whole around a central courtyard. This patchwork reflects the evolving tastes of successive monarchs, including Louis XII, François I, and Gaston d’Orléans. François I also introduced the château’s famed spiral staircase, a double-helix design similar to Chambord’s. The château became a political and cultural hub in its day, hosting artists, writers, and even the dramatic assassination of the Duke of Guise in 1588.
The internal courtyard with its double-helix spiral staircase and some pics from the interior …
After finishing our tour, we walked down toward the Loire to take in the town from the riverbank. In the photos below, you’ll see replicas of historic boats drifting along—today used for tourist excursions, but once essential for trade.
From the riverside, we loop back up the hill, pausing at some of Blois’ iconic monuments …
… before ducking into the Église Saint-François. Its interior is simple but strikingly pretty, a peaceful stop along our walk…
Back at the hotel, we consider dinner alternatives, and after some debate, we opt for Les Burgers d’Annie. My wife Annie is a burger aficionado, so this is actually a no-brainer decision. Not your average fast food > these burgers are generously prepared, served on a terrace overlooking a lively square. Early 70s music drifts through the speakers, the sun is warm, and a bottle of rosé completes the scene (and yes, rosé works with burgers, albeit gourmet burgers). Definitely not McDonald’s, and all the better for it…
Dinner is a success and a fitting finale to our stay in Blois. Tomorrow we set out for the Périgord Nord region, eager to see what lies ahead.
September 4, 2025
The morning dawns gloomy, but after a bit of rallying, we get ourselves packed and ready for the drive to Sarlat-la-Canéda—about 375 kilometres, or roughly five hours on the road. To make decent time, we take the autoroute for part of the journey. Though expensive, it shaves off hours compared to winding secondary roads. Still, we want to enjoy some of the countryside, so we mix and match between the two.
The weather throws everything at us: torrential downpours, light showers, and even a few fleeting bursts of sunshine. In the end, the trip proves uneventful and straightforward, and we arrive at our Airbnb in Sarlat more or less on schedule. No pictures en route, although some of the countryside and towns looked wonderful. As in the Loire, one could loiter here for weeks, visiting towns, monuments, etc. Muraculasouly when we reach the environs of Sarlat La Caneda (no musspelling here and nothing to do with Canada) the weather becomes lovely and warm.
The property is a small oasis tucked among shrubs and trees, with three or four units in total.
Our studio has a little patio where we can sit and relax, and best of all, it’s just a ten-minute walk from the old town. After settling in, fatigue takes over. We opt for an early night, knowing tomorrow promises a full day of exploring—weather permitting, we hope with a little more sunshine.