Beauvoir Tower

Introducing the Beauvoir Tower, thought to be one of the oldest monuments in Blois, and perhaps even in France. It has stood the test of time, having been built between the 11th and 12th centuries by the Lords of Beauvoir, vassals of the Counts of Blois, whose fief stretched from here all the way to the Loire River. Around 1256, the Counts of Blois made the keep part of the city’s fortifications; it proved to be very useful in more ways than one. This 24-meter-high structure housed the guardrooms on the lower floor, storerooms for food and grain on the middle floor, and the Council Chamber on the top floor, as the courthouse was being built nearby. And as if all this weren’t enough, the Beauvoir Tower also served as a prison until 1945, with a total of 6 dungeons. During World War II, the entire neighborhood was severely damaged by bombings. The keep was saved from demolition at the eleventh hour and was reconstructed. It was bought for the symbolic sum of 1 euro by a local teacher in the 1960s and then purchased by the owners of Chémery Castle in 2000. It has continued to thrive, with its upper floors hosting events and temporary exhibitions. As for the former dungeons, they’ve been converted into cozy guest rooms, with a rooftop terrace offering stunning panoramic views. So, what do you say? Fancy spending a night in a cell?