Arrival, Information and Accommodation
Blois is easy to get around: avenue Jean-Laigret is the main street leading south from the gare SNCF to place Victor-Hugo and the chateau, and past it to the town centre. The gare routiere is directly in front of the gare SNCF, with buses leaving several times a day for Cheverny and Chambord (mid-June to mid-Sept; 65F/?9.91). The tourist office , set back from the road at 3 av Jean-Laigret (April-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-12.30pm & 2-7pm, Sun 10.30am-12.30pm & 4.30-7pm; Oct-March Mon-Sat 9.15am-noon & 2-6pm; tel 02.54.90.41.41, fax 02.54.90.41.49), organizes hotel rooms for a small fee and changes money; during summer it has information desks open in the pedestrian precinct and place du Chateau (July & Aug daily 10am-7pm). Regional information is available online at www.chambordcountry.com . Bikes can be rented from Cycles Leblond, 44 Levee des Tuileries (tel 02.54.74.30.13) or Ets Bucquet, 33 av Wilson (tel 02.54.78.12.94). Hotels worth trying are the inexpensive and well-maintained St-Jacques , 7 rue Ducoux (tel 02.54.78.04.15, fax 02.54.78.33.05; under 160F/?24), near the train station; A la Ville de Tours , 2 place de la Greve (tel 02.54.78.07.86, fax 02.54.56.87.33; 160-220F/?24-34), overlooking the river, with a well-priced restaurant below serving traditional cuisine (menus at 75F/?11.43 and 99F/?15.09); and the Hotel du Bellay , 12 rue des Minimes (tel 02.54.78.23.62, fax 02.54.78.52.04; 160-220F/?24-34). Le Savoie , across the street from the St-Jacques at 6 rue Ducoux (tel 02.54.74.32.21, fax 02.54.74.29.58; 220-300F/?34-46), is more appealing, but if you want somewhere classy, consider the Mercure , 28 quai St-Jean (tel 02.54.56.66.66, fax 02.54.56.67.00, mercure-blois@wanadoo.fr ; 500-600F/?76-91), overlooking the river to the east of the town centre. Blois' HI hostel , 18 rue de l'Hotel-Pasquier (tel 02.54.78.27.21, blois@fuaj.org ; March to mid-Nov), is further out at Les Grouets, 5km downstream, between the Foret de Blois and the river; take bus #4, direction "Les Grouets", stop "Auberge". The town's campsite is across the river 2km from the town centre on the Lac de Loire at Vineuil (tel 02.54.74.22.78; bus #3C, stop "Mairie Vineuil"), and it offers bike rental.
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