Blois is a French commune , capital of the department of Loir-et-Cher in the Center-Val de Loire region . It was under Louis XII , and for about a century, a royal residence. The city has an important cultural heritage with its castle , the Saint-Louis cathedral and two important churches.

Country	France
Region	Centre-Val de Loire
Department	Loir-et-Cher
Canton	Blois-1, 2 and 3 and Vineuil
Government
Mayor (2020–2026)	Marc Gricourt
Area1	37.46 km2 (14.46 sq mi)
Population (2017-01-01)	46,086
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)

Economy 

Automobile 

• Delphi Technologies  : produces diesel injection systems and has a Research and Development Center. The company employs 1,700 people. The injectors designed in Blois are then produced in other factories, notably in Romania. 
• Valeo  : manufacture and assembly of automotive headlamps for the aftermarket and injection of technical plastic parts.

Aerospace 

• Senior Aerospace  : design and manufacture of components intended for the transfer of fluids. (Located in the pit)

Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries 

• Procter & Gamble  : manufacture of perfumes and toiletries (shampoos and conditioners); 

Food industry 

• Poulain  : historic seat of the chocolate factory . Its factory (located in Villebarou) manufactures all of the brand’s chocolates (whether in the form of powders or tablets), as well as productions of the Cadbury brand

Health and medicine 

• The Blois hospital center is the main employer in the department. There is also the Institute for training in nursing , the House of adolescents . 
• The polyclinic: located at La Chaussée-Saint-Victor
• La Mosaïque Santé: located in La Chaussée-Saint-Victor .
• Théraé Medical Center: located at La Chaussée-Saint-Victor .

Shopping centers 

• Blois Nord: Cora , Décathlon , Conforama , Brico Dépôt , Norauto , Jardiland , Kiabi , La Halle aux shoes , etc.
• Blois Sud: Auchan , Go sport , Truffaut , BUT , Speedy , McDonald’s , rtc.
• Blois: E.Leclerc , Krys , Feu vert , Leroy Merlin , etc.

Transport

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.

Local Culture and Heritage

Places and monuments 

Blois is classified City of Art and History. Around the castle are various points of interest:

• the Place du Château is the former forecourt of the château, once surrounded by the houses of court officials. On the south side, the gardens offer a beautiful view over the roofs of the city;
• the House of Magic evokes the magician Robert-Houdin , a native of Blois;
• the Place des Lices offers an extensive view over the Loire Valley and the Saint-Nicolas church;
• the ramp of the castle ditches allows you to admire the exterior facade of the Gaston d’Orléans wing , the work of François Mansart  ;
• the fortifications of the city and the castle ,
• the Louis-XII Fountain, etc.
• The Jardins de l’Évêché terrace dominate the Loire Valley and offer an extensive view of the city. The low terrace, converted into a rose garden , contains hundreds of rare varieties. Excavations carried out in 2010 brought to light an ancient cemetery whose exact origin is still unknown to this day.
• The Jacques-Gabriel bridge (listed as a historical monument).
• Pyramid of the bridge. In the crossing of Blois, on the central arch of the Jacques-Gabriel bridge spanning the Loire stands the replica of the pyramid decorated with the arms of France which had been destroyed during the Second World War.
• Medicinal Plant Garden, created in 1981 .
• Blois station .
• The Palais de Justice is listed as a historical monument,
• Square Victor-Hugo.
• Jesuit College , listed as historical monuments,
• National stud farm , listed as historical monuments,
• Hôtel-Dieu , listed as historical monuments,
• Grain hall listed as historical monuments.

Cultural events and festivities 

• Festival Tous sur le pont , devoted to song,
• Festival Des lyres d’été  : various activities in the city center and in the neighborhoods, and setting up of the Guinguette in the port of La Creusille.
• The Rendezvous of history in mid-October, devoted to history.
• Bd BOUM  : festival dedicated to comics taking place in November.
• Festival Winter lyres from the beginning of December to the first weekends of January, with various activities in the city center and in the neighborhoods, ice rink, toboggan run and Christmas market.
• Every July 13 after the fireworks display at 11  p.m. , a free concert is organized on the quai de la Saussaye. 
• West coast swing On Loire (alias WOL), since 2014, West Coast Swing international dance festival .

Museums 

• Archaeological museum
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Foundation of doubt
• House of magic
• Natural history museum, 2 ^nd  floor of the former Couvent des Jacobins
• Diocesan Museum of Religious Art of Blois, 1 ^st  floor of the former Convent of the Jacobins
• Astrespace
• Museum of Resistance, Deportation and Liberation in Loir-et-Cher

Sports 

Clubs 

• ADA Blois Basket 41
• Blois Football 41
• AFC BLOIS 1995 (Football)
• AJ Blois Onzain
• Blois fencing circle

Sporting events 

Since 2013, the Internationaux de tennis de Blois has been an international tennis tournament that is part of the ATP Challenger Tour .

Since 2014, the Michel Musson athletics meeting has been a national competition.