Wednesday for windows - La Maison de la Magie in Blois.

One of our favourite sets of windows in the Loire Valley can be found at the remarkable Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin in Blois.

Located directly across from the courtyard of the magnificent Château Royal de Blois, this unusual building surprises visitors every half hour when several large golden dragon heads suddenly emerge from the windows and balconies. The animated display is playful, theatrical, and perfectly suited to the museum’s magical theme.

The museum is dedicated to the famous 19th-century illusionist Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, widely considered the father of modern magic. Born in Blois, he revolutionized stage magic and inspired many performers who followed.

The façade itself becomes part of the show. At scheduled times the dragon heads extend dramatically from the windows as if the building itself were alive—an unexpected and entertaining spectacle in the historic heart of the city.

Location: Opposite the courtyard of the Château Royal de Blois, Blois, Loire Valley

If you visit Blois, try to time your walk through the square so you can see the dragons appear—it’s a fun moment that delights both children and adults.

Nearby: Just steps away is the beautiful Château Royal de Blois, one of the most historically significant castles in the Loire Valley, once home to several French kings.

Bon mercredi dans la vallée de la Loire !

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

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Wednesday for Windows – Chapelle Saint-Louis, Champigny-sur-Veude

Some of the Loire Valley's most remarkable windows are found where you least expect them.

Hidden away in the quiet village of Champigny-sur-Veude , the Chapelle Saint-Louis is a true architectural treasure. Its soaring Gothic vaults and magnificent stained-glass windows fill the chapel with color, creating an atmosphere that rivals some of France's most celebrated churches.

Built in the early 16th century by the powerful Bourbon-Montpensier family, the chapel is often overlooked by visitors rushing between the Loire Valley's famous châteaux. Those who make the detour are rewarded with one of the region's finest collections of Renaissance stained glass.

The greatest surprise about Chapelle Saint-Louis is its location. You might expect such an impressive royal chapel to stand in a major city, yet it is tucked away in a village of fewer than a thousand residents. Historians sometimes compare it to Sainte-Chapelle in Paris because of its remarkable stained-glass windows, making it one of the Loire Valley's best-kept secrets and one of its most unexpected artistic treasures.

See more on the chapel here.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

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Chateau de Montpoupon

Standing on the edge of the Forest of Loches, Château du Montpoupon has watched over this corner of Touraine for centuries. Unlike many of the Loire Valley's grand royal residences, Montpoupon has remained a family home for generations, giving it a more intimate character while preserving its medieval towers and Renaissance additions.

Its distinctive round towers and defensive walls hint at its origins as a fortified castle, while the elegant windows and refined details reflect the changing tastes of later centuries. Surrounded by woodland and open countryside, it remains one of the quieter château experiences in the Loire Valley.

If you're exploring the region between Chenonceau and Loches, Château de Montpoupon is well worth adding to your itinerary.

Montpoupon is especially associated with hunting traditions. Inside, the château houses the Musée du Veneur (Museum of the Huntsman) , dedicated to the history of hunting with hounds in France. Even if hunting isn't of personal interest, the museum offers a fascinating insight into a centuries-old rural tradition that shaped life on many French estates.

Happy Monday in the Loire Valley!

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists and of the dream of France itself.”

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Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

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Windows and balconies of Château de Blois.

The Château de Blois is often admired for its grand staircases and royal history but its windows and balconies tell their own story. Looking up at the François I wing, the repeating arches, ornate stonework and projecting windows reveal a Renaissance fascination with light, symmetry and display.

These openings were never merely practical. They framed views across the town, admitted light into royal apartments and proclaimed the wealth and sophistication of the court. Even today, the rhythm of windows and balconies draws the eye upward, encouraging visitors to appreciate the building as a composition rather than simply a fortress.

Château de Blois was a favourite residence of King François I, who brought Renaissance ideas from Italy to France. The wing seen here, completed in the early sixteenth century, was among the first major expressions of French Renaissance architecture, helping to set a style that would spread throughout the Loire Valley and beyond.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

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The elegant windows of Château d'Azay-le-Rideau.

The elegant windows of Château d'Azay-le-Rideau reflect the grace and balance of one of the Loire Valley’s most admired Renaissance châteaux.  

From every angle, the windows play their part in the château’s refined design. Tall, symmetrical, and framed by delicate stonework, they bring both light and harmony to the building’s distinctive silhouette.  

Today, these windows remain one of the château’s quiet charms, inviting visitors to pause and admire how architecture can turn even the simplest detail into beauty. At Azay-le-Rideau, every window feels like part of the story.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

A lesson in symmetry...

At Château de Cheverny, evenly spaced windows create one of the Loire Valley’s most elegant façades. The formal balance continues around the building, giving the château its famously composed appearance.

Château de Cheverny has remained in the same family for more than six centuries and its interiors are among the best preserved in the Loire Valley The château is also said to have inspired Marlinspike Hall in 'The Adventures of Tintin'.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Windows in the Loire Valley - Azay-le-Rideau

Rue Gambetta in Azay-le-Rideau, one of the most charming streets in this Loire Valley town. Traditional tuffeau stone buildings line the narrow way, featuring classic multi-paned windows, wrought-iron balconies and simple wooden shutters.

The ground floors house small shops,caves and cafés, with their menu boards and signage adding everyday life to the historic façades. A quiet corner that perfectly captures the intimate scale of Loire villages.

Bon mercredi dans la vallée de la Loire !

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

---

Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Windows of the Loire Valley - at Chateau de Chenonceau.

Chapel of the Château de Chenonceau, Christmas decorations

Light filters through the stained glass of the chapel at Château de Chenonceau, softened further by winter and candle glow. The windows do not dominate the space, they quietly frame it, colouring stone, wood, and silence.

At Christmas, the chapel takes on a gentler presence. Fir branches, white flowers, and carefully placed decorations sit beneath centuries old glass, creating a meeting point between faith, tradition, and seasonal ritual.

These windows were never meant to impress at a glance. Instead, they reward stillness, allowing light to move slowly across the walls as the day unfolds.

“In the Loire, windows do not rush the light, they invite it in.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire Valley” Series

A midweek look at the windows of the Loire Valley, from grand châteaux to quiet chapels, revealing how light shapes these historic spaces.

Browse the full series

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Wednesday for Windows : Saint Joan of Arc in Stained Glass – Église, Manthelon.

Today’s window: inside the Église Saints-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais-et-Volusien in Manthelon (Indre-et-Loire), a tall arched stained glass portraying Sainte Jeanne d'Arc (Saint Joan of Arc).

She stands tall in white armor, blue cloak flowing, golden halo shining, holding her banner aloft and sword at her side, classic iconography of the Maid of Orléans as protector and martyr. The rich greens, purples, reds, and golds glow against the grey stone, with floral and geometric borders adding delicate detail.

The church itself has deep roots: an early sanctuary from the late 5th century welcomed relics of Saints Gervais and Protais, brought by Bishop Volusien of Tours. The current neo-Romanesque building dates from 1868 (replacing the medieval one), with many of its stained glass windows created between 1868 and 1876 by the renowned Tours workshop of Lucien-Léopold Lobin. This particular panel of Jeanne d'Arc is likely a later 19th/20th-century addition, reflecting the surge in her veneration after her canonization in 1920.

Manthelon is a peaceful village near Loches, perfect for a detour if you're exploring the Loire's lesser-known treasures—combine it with a visit to the Château de Loches or a walk along the Indre river.

These windows aren't just decoration; they're stories in light, reminding us of faith, history, and resilience in the heart of rural Touraine.

Have you spotted any surprising saints in Loire church windows?

Bon mercredi dans la Vallée de la Loire! 🇫🇷⛪

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Wednesday for windows - rue du Château in Loches.

Each Wednesday, we look a little closer at the windows of the Loire Valley. the simple, beautiful details that tell the region’s story in glass, stone and light. This facade of 'La Chancellerie' at 8 rue du Château in Loches rewards a closer look. Carved stonework frames the windows with layers of classical detail, pilasters, cornices, and ornamental panels that speak of care, status, and craft. Even without colour or excess, the balance and precision of the design give these windows a quiet authority on the street.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Wednesday for windows - had to be Chedigny.

After our pre-festival visit on Saturday we had to share a few of the lovely windows of the village. Chedigny is one of the most beautiful flowering villages in the Loire Valley, with almost every house seemingly competing in a friendly battle of roses and greenery.

In spring and early summer, the entire village transforms into a living floral tapestry.

These four houses with rose-adorned windows captured on Saturday are a wonderful reminder of how the French art of living beautifully extends even to the smallest villages.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Windows in the Tower at Château de Blois – Louis XII Wing Courtyard

In the courtyard of the Château de Blois, this staircase tower marks the transition into the Louis XII wing, where late Gothic style begins to give way to early Renaissance ideas.

Built around 1500 for Louis XII, the wing combines red brick and pale stone in a pattern typical of the period. The tower itself is both practical and symbolic, housing the spiral stair while projecting royal presence into the courtyard.

Look closely at the windows and you can see that shift in style. Their frames are more regular and refined than earlier medieval openings, yet still retain decorative flourishes, sculpted surrounds, and small turrets that hint at the Gothic tradition.

Set against the slate roof and open sky, the tower draws the eye upward, a vertical accent in a courtyard that tells the story of French architecture evolving from fortress to residence.

Bon mercredi dans la vallée de la Loire !

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

---

Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Windows on Wednesday...Preuilly-sur-Claise.

Not every window needs grand stonework or wrought iron to catch the eye. In Preuilly-sur-Claise, sometimes it is the small personal touches that make a façade memorable, a pair of colourful butterflies, a simple balcony rail, and an open window letting the light and air of the day inside.

These little details say as much about a place as its monuments. They show how people shape their homes quietly, adding colour and character to old streets that have seen centuries pass by. In villages like this, decoration is often less about display and more about everyday pleasure.

Preuilly-sur-Claise itself is one of the oldest settlements in southern Touraine, with a history shaped by its abbey, its château, and the Claise River that winds nearby. Yet it is often the smaller scenes, a shutter, a flowerpot, a window left open to the sun, that stay in the memory.

Windows & Balconies of the Loire Valley is a look at the charm found not only in castles and churches, but in the simple details of village life.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Wednesday for windows - pretty in Loches.

On the way to the gates into Loches’ public gardens, this graceful stone facade on Chemin de la Prairie de la Foire offers one of those perfect little moments the Loire Valley does so well.

The soft colours of the roses against the weathered walls and pale blue shutters make it easy to pause and simply admire the details. Loches itself is a medieval town with a royal château, yet refreshingly free of the bigger crowds found elsewhere in the valley.

These are the scenes I look forward to sharing every Wednesday.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Wednesday for windows - reflecting on the windows at Chateau du Grand-Pressigny.

Château du Grand-Pressigny for this unexpected composition.

A large arched window set into the pale stone façade of Château du Grand-Pressigny perfectly captures the silhouette of a Megaloceros (often called the Irish Elk). This life-size reconstruction of the magnificent prehistoric giant deer stands outside, its impressive antlers reaching upward against the blue sky. The transparent curtain inside the room adds soft vertical folds, while the reflection of trees, a stone wall and distant rooftops layers the scene with depth. The contrast between the solid historic stone and the floating prehistoric silhouette creates a quiet, almost surreal moment.

A personal eye-catcher: the way the Megaloceros appears to stand right inside the window frame, as if stepping out of the museum’s prehistory collection and into the present.

Practical tip: While visiting the château and its excellent prehistory museum, take time to walk around the exterior and courtyard. Late morning or early afternoon light often gives the clearest reflections on these large windows. The Megaloceros and woolly mammoth reconstructions in the grounds make a wonderful connection between the historic building and the collections inside. Combine it with a wander through the village for a lovely half-day in Le Grand-Pressigny.

Bon mercredi dans la vallée de la Loire !

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

---

Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Windows on a building of character in Blois.

The streets of Blois can occasionally reveal an architectural style quite different from the town's famous château. This late 19th-century townhouse combines red brick, carved stone and colourful glazed tiles in a design that reflects the craftsmanship of its period.

It's a fine example of how everyday homes can possess some of the character as the grand buildings for which the Loire Valley is renowned.

Blois experienced a building boom at the end of the 19th century, and many new homes were influenced by the fashionable Art Nouveau movement and regional architectural styles. Decorative glazed ceramic tiles, like those on this façade, were both ornamental and practical, adding colour while helping to protect the brickwork from the weather.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

---

Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Amboise - inside out!

Through the glowing window of 'Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Bigot' in Amboise, the Loire Valley invites you in with pure indulgence. Golden croissants, sugar-dusted brioche, apple chaussons and towering kouign-amann-style treats line the shelves, their warmth contrasting the cool February light outside.

Beyond the glass, Place Michel Debré stretches toward the iconic Château d'Amboise perched on its hill, towers and rooftops catching the overcast sky. Passersby in coats hurry past half-timbered facades and cobblestones, a living postcard of Touraine charm.

Bigot, a family treasure since 1913 (now in its fourth generation), isn't just a patisserie, it's a chocolatier, glacier, and salon de thé beloved for hot chocolate, tarte tatin, and seasonal marzipan fruits. Right opposite the château, it's the perfect stop for a moment of sweetness amid Loire heritage.

This "inside-out" view captures the essence of the Loire: everyday beauty framed through windows, blending temptation with timeless architecture.

 

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

---

Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home