View of the city and the Loire River

From the Bishop’s Garden, your eyes are drawn straight to the Loire. Wide and majestic, this royal river has shaped both the history and the identity of Blois. Just below, the tightly packed slate roofs of the old town recall the days when the city revolved around its château and bustling river port. Back then, the quays of Blois were alive with activity. Flat-bottomed boats, the famous gabares, would dock here to unload salt, wine, timber, and tuffeau stone—the very stone used to build the castles and grand houses of the valley. It’s easy to imagine the constant flow of merchants, carts, and boatmen that brought this district to life. Today, the quays are calm once again, perfect for a stroll, but they still hold the memory of that golden age when the Loire was the kingdom’s great commercial artery. From up here, you can still feel that history in the harmonious setting between the city and its river.