Blois

Perched on a steep hillside overlooking the Loire, site of one of France's most historic châteaux, and birthplace of those delicious Poulain chocolates and gâteaux (check out the bakeries along Rue Denis-Papin and tour the nearby Poulain factory), the bustling big town of Blois is a convenient base, well served by train and highway. A signposted route leads you on a walking tour of the Vieille Ville (Old Town)—a romantic honeycomb of twisting alleys, cobblestone streets, and half-timber houses—but it's best explored with the help of a map available from the tourist office. The historic highlight is Place St-Louis, where you can find the Maison des Acrobats (note the timbers carved with jongleurs, or jugglers), Cathédrale St-Louis, and Hôtel de Villebresme, but unexpected Renaissance-era galleries and staircases also lurk in tucked-away courtyards, such as the one in the Hôtel d'Alluye, built by Florimond Robertet, finance minister to three kings and the last patron to commission a painting from Leonardo da Vinci. The best view of the town, with its château and numerous church spires rising sharply above the river, can be had from across the Loire.