Since 2013, excavations have been conducted by French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP in French) in Vienne where they found evidence of "one or several camps of late Prehistory hunter-gatherers, who were also fishermen since fishing traps were found there.. [...] They were ancestors of the famous Neolithic farmer-herders, who were present in current France around 6,000 BCE [i.e.: 8,000 years ago].

When Hugh the Great became duke of the Franks, he left the title of count to his faithful vassal, Theobald I of Blois (circa 940).

The House of Blois also succeeded in raising some of its members or descendants to the highest levels of the European nobility, notably by acceding to the thrones of France, England, Navarre, Spain and Portugal.

[10] In 1171, Blois was the site of a blood libel against its Jewish community that led to 31 Jews (by some accounts 40) being burned to death.

[12] In 1196, Count Louis I of Blois granted privileges to the townsmen; a commune, which survived throughout the Middle Ages, probably dates from this time.

[13] By 1397, Count Guy II of Blois-Châtillon offered the county to his cousin, Duke Louis I of Orléans, brother of King Charles VI.

During his reign, the city experienced a massive redevelopment, with some architectural elements inspired from the Italian Renaissance, as seen in the medieval castle immediately turned into a château, and the construction of many hôtels particuliers for the nobility throughout the entire kingdom.

On 4 July 1562, Blois and Beaugency, conquered by Protestants just before, were looted by the Catholics led by Maréchal de St. André.

On 7 February 1568, Protestants under Captain Boucard's command, looted and invaded the town, eventually killing many Catholics.

In 1576 and 1588, King Henry III convoked the Estates General to Blois where he attained refuge after an uprising called the Day of the Barricades.

In 1606, Philippe de Béthune gave his ownership of Vienne-lez-Blois village, on the left bank of the Loire river, to Blois, making it a part of the city afterwards known as Blois-Vienne.

Then in 1634, Louis XIII exiled his brother, Gaston, Duke of Orléans and Count of Blois, who became attached to the city.

As in Paris, urban organisation in Blois was redesigned during 1850 and 1870 by Mayor Eugène Riffault, who was friends with Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann.

Between 1862 and 1865, the Denis-Papin staircase are built under La Morandière's supervision, in the axis of Jacques-Gabriel Bridge and Blois-Vienne's Wilson Avenue.

On 16 August 1944, the German troops withdrew to Blois-Vienne to seek refuge and destroyed the three central arches of the bridge.

Since 1986, Blois is part of the French Towns of Art and History program, which promotes the cultural and historical estate.

This is the only public museum in Europe which incorporates in one place collections of magic and a site for permanent performing arts, and directly reflects the personality of Robert-Houdin.

[17][18][19][20] Opened after bombings in 1944, the place stands right below the château, closest to the Loire river, and is actually located at the center of Blois downtown.

Among the other founts, there are:[21] Blois is also the location of so-called Maison de la BD, a museum devoted to the art of comic books.

[24] Already by 924, monks from the St. Lomer community were given some acres below the medieval castle, but outside the city walls, on the bank of the Loire river.

When the French Revolution broke out by 1789, the church was turnt into a Hôtel-Dieu, namely a charity hospital for the have-nots, because Revolutionners destroyed many clergy- and royal-related monuments.

After that, new buildings were added to the original St. Lomer Abbey, which became St. Nicholas Church, and the additional edifices remained dedicated to the Hôtel-Dieu of the city.

In the late 19th century, Bloisian industrialist and chocolatier Victor-Auguste Poulain established his brand's factory next to Blois station.

Now organised as an urban park, the gardens offer a panoramic view on the downtown, the Loire river, and Blois-Vienne.

A statue of Joan of Arc, given to the city by American patron J. Sanford Saltus, stands in the middle of the park.

Among these so-called hôtels particuliers, there are: In addition, many citizens from the peoples engineered timber-framing buildings all across the city, including: Please note all the above edifices have been listed as historical monuments.

The city also is provided with many religious edifices, including: The A10 motorway connects Blois with Paris, Orléans and Tours.

Blois Railway Station offers direct connections from Paris, Orléans, Tours, Nantes, and to several regional destinations.