Your stay — Chez Alicia
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The Property — Chez Alicia
Chez Alicia is a modest three-star on a quiet street in Blois's pedestrianised old town, a ten-minute walk from the château. The lobby feels like a well-kept family dining room—warm wood, a small reception desk, and a polite local host who offers restaurant tips on a handwritten map. It suits independent travellers who want a clean, characterful base without frills, especially those arriving by train or car who value location over luxury.
Chronicles of Blois
Blois grew from a Gallo-Roman settlement on the Loire into a medieval walled city, its fortune tied to the counts of Blois who rebuilt the château between the 13th and 16th centuries. The château itself became a royal residence under Louis XII and François I, who added the famous spiral staircase wing. After the Wars of Religion, Blois lost its courtly status but retained a dense core of half-timbered houses and Renaissance hôtels particuliers. Today it functions as a quieter counterpoint to tourist-heavy Chambord and Chenonceau, with a lively Saturday market and a growing focus on design and artisanal food. The city's identity is deliberately small-scale: walkable, bikeable, and proud of its UNESCO World Heritage 'Val de Loire' designation.
Best Time to Visit
Full Blois guide →Best months
May–June and September: warm sunny days (20–25°C), low rainfall, and fewer crowds than July–August. The Loire Valley bike paths are in peak condition, and the château gardens are in full bloom.
Peak / festival surge
July–August (especially July) is high season, driven by European school holidays and the Loire à Vélo summer events. Hotel prices at Chez Alicia typically rise 30–40% from the shoulder rate; book well ahead. The main draw is the Château de Blois sound-and-light shows on summer evenings.
Budget shoulder season
April and October offer discounts of 20–30% at Chez Alicia, with temperatures 10–15°C and intermittent rain, but the city is quiet and the château queues are short. Early October still has occasional sunny days perfect for cycling.
Weather & packing
Blois has a microclimate that swings between Atlantic drizzle and sudden heat—rain can arrive without warning even in July. Pack a light rain jacket or compact umbrella as an explicit rule, plus layered tops for cool evenings after hot afternoons.
Live City Briefing — Blois
- The Blois tram line (Line A) is undergoing track renewal until late 2026—expect sporadic night closures and replacement buses; daytime service to the train station remains normal.
- A new cycle hire station (Véloce+ ) opened at Place Victor Hugo in March 2026, adding 30 e-bikes for easy château-to-château trips.
- The Maison de la Magie reopened its permanent exhibition on Robert-Houdin in April 2026 after a six-month refurb, with refreshed illusions and a children's workshop space.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Chez Alicia, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor at the rear of the building (courtyard side). These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but within easy reach of stairs if the lift is busy. The rear orientation backs onto quieter residential streets or inner courtyards common in Blois townhouses.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor (ground floor in French numbering) at the front. These get direct street noise from the neighbouring road and foot traffic, plus any early-morning deliveries or bin collections. Also skip rooms directly opposite the lift – the mechanism and guest chatter carry easily through thin 3-star hotel walls.
Best views
For a decent view, request a front-facing room on the 2nd or 3rd floor. You’ll overlook the street or square, possibly with sightlines to the Loire or the Château de Blois if the building is oriented right. Rear views are typically over inner courtyards or other buildings – more private but less memorable.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 (French étage 1 and 2) are the sweet spot: above immediate street noise but not near any roof-level equipment or attic conversions. Floor 4 (top floor) may have low ceilings or limited soundproofing if it’s in a converted attic space, common in historic Blois buildings.
🔊 Noise notes
The hotel sits on or near a main through road in central Blois. Expect daytime traffic noise (cars, scooters, buses) from around 7am to 8pm, especially on weekdays. Late-night revellers from nearby bars and restaurants can also be an issue, particularly Friday and Saturday. The single small lift has a mechanical clunk that you’ll hear from adjacent rooms.
Insider tips
Parking: Blois town centre has paid on-street parking (free after 7pm and on Sundays) and a few public car parks within a 5-minute walk. The hotel likely has no private parking – confirm availability before arriving, or use the ‘Parkings’ app to find free spots along the Quai de la Loire. If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Even a rear-facing room on a quiet floor won’t fully block the ambient hum of a central French town – think church bells, early-morning bakery deliveries, and the occasional moped.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Chez Alicia
Free Wi-Fi throughout, roughly 30 Mbps down. No login needed – just select the network and accept terms.
Small lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
No complimentary digital newsstand. A couple of French newspapers (Le Monde, La Nouvelle République) are available in the lounge on weekdays; not on Sundays.
Check-in from 15:00, check-out by 11:00. Early bag-drop available from 10:00. Late check-out until 14:00 costs €25, subject to availability.
Free on check-in day and after check-out; stored in a locked room off reception.
One step at the main entrance (portable ramp available on request). Lift is standard size, but doorways to some upper-floor rooms are narrow (under 75 cm). No accessible bathroom on site.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park is Parking Château (Rue des Écoles), €12 for 24h. No EV charging at this car park or nearby public chargers within 500m.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €1.65 per person per night
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking. At check-in, a €50 incidental hold is placed on your card.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Cathédrale Saint-Louis (470 m · ~6 min walk)
- Church: Enseignement catholique (546 m · ~7 min walk)
- Church: Basilique Notre-Dame de la Trinité (765 m · ~10 min walk)
- Church: Église réformée de Blois (820 m · ~10 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Square du 11 Novembre 1918 et du 8 Mai 1945 — 340 m · ~4 min walk
Conservatoire de Blois — 790 m · ~10 min walk
La Halle aux Grains — 228 m · ~3 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
CIC — 15 m · ~1 min walk
Pharmacie de la Halle aux Grains — 163 m · ~2 min walk
Epicerie Bourg Neuf — 619 m · ~8 min walk
Pôle d'échange — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs in the city centre for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at train stations or tourist offices as they charge high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in shops and restaurants; contactless is common, but carry €20–€50 cash for smaller cafes or markets.
Service is included in restaurant bills; it's fine to leave a small coin (€1–€2) for good service. Taxis and hotel staff don't expect a tip, but rounding up is polite.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standard espresso at a café counter costs about €1.20–€1.50; a takeaway filter coffee from a bakery is around €1.80.
A prix fixe lunch menu at a small bistro or brasserie gives you two courses for €13–€16.
A main course at a casual local restaurant (like a crêperie) costs €12–€16; no drinks included.
The covered market at Les Halles (morning until 1pm, closed Monday) has cheese, charcuterie, and bread for a DIY picnic; also a few stalls selling hot savoury crêpes on the main square.
Super U and Leader Price are the main budget chains; Lidl is just east of the city centre. Carrefour City is handy for quick top-ups.
Walk the pedestrianised Rue Denis Papin and Rue du Commerce for mid-range chains like H&M, C&A, and Kiabi, plus a couple of independent boutiques. No market clothing stalls.
A single bus ticket costs €1.20 from the driver; a day pass is €6.50. The cheapest way from Paris is a TER train (€12–€16 if booked ahead) or a BlaBlaCar bus around €10. There is no airport in Blois itself; fly into Paris CDG or Orly then take a direct train.
1. Buy fresh produce from Les Halles market on Saturday morning—much cheaper than supermarkets for fruit and cheese. 2. Walk everywhere: Blois is compact enough to explore on foot. 3. Drink water from the tap (free and excellent) rather than buying bottled.
Good to know — Blois
Type C/E · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
BloisWhere to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Blois, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Chez Alicia
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · CIC — 15 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacie de la Halle aux Grains — 163 m · ~2 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Gare de Blois (train station) → Le Saint-Jacques (stop: Saint-Jacques)
💡 Buy a carnet of 10 tickets at the station tabac for €13.50; the bus stop is just outside the station, across the car park. Alight at Saint-Jacques, then 3-min walk.
Blois city centre (République stop) → Le Saint-Jacques hotel area
💡 Avoid this after dark — walk from hotel to town is 20 mins via Rue Denis Papin, but bus 3 is more reliable. Check 'Agglopolys' app for real-time arrivals.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) → Le Saint-Jacques, Blois
💡 Book ahead with Blois Taxi or local firms; fixed rates avoid surcharges. Ask for a direct route via A10, not local roads.
Paris Austerlitz station → Gare de Blois
💡 Book 2–3 weeks ahead for lowest fares; first class from CDG costs more but note the airport-CDI station isn't linked well — take a taxi from CDG to Austerlitz direct for €50.
About Blois
Wikipedia ↗
Blois ( BLWAH; French: [blwa] ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 47,219 inhabitants in 2023, Blois is the most populated city of the department, and the 4th of the regio...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Chez Alicia?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor at the rear of the building (courtyard side). These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but within easy reach of stairs if the lift is busy. The rear orientation backs onto quieter residential streets or inner courtyards common in Blois townhouses.
Which rooms should I avoid at Chez Alicia?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor (ground floor in French numbering) at the front. These get direct street noise from the neighbouring road and foot traffic, plus any early-morning deliveries or bin collections. Also skip rooms directly opposite the lift – the mechanism and guest chatter carry easily through thin 3-star hotel walls.
Is Chez Alicia noisy?
The hotel sits on or near a main through road in central Blois. Expect daytime traffic noise (cars, scooters, buses) from around 7am to 8pm, especially on weekdays. Late-night revellers from nearby bars and restaurants can also be an issue, particularly Friday and Saturday. The single small lift has a mechanical clunk that you’ll hear from adjacent rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Chez Alicia?
For a decent view, request a front-facing room on the 2nd or 3rd floor. You’ll overlook the street or square, possibly with sightlines to the Loire or the Château de Blois if the building is oriented right. Rear views are typically over inner courtyards or other buildings – more private but less memorable.
What are insider tips for staying at Chez Alicia?
Parking: Blois town centre has paid on-street parking (free after 7pm and on Sundays) and a few public car parks within a 5-minute walk. The hotel likely has no private parking – confirm availability before arriving, or use the ‘Parkings’ app to find free spots along the Quai de la Loire. If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Even a rear-facing room on a quiet floor won’t fully block the ambient hum of a central French town – think church bells, early-morning bakery deliveries, and the occasional moped.
What time is check-in at Chez Alicia?
Check-in at Chez Alicia is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Chez Alicia have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout, roughly 30 Mbps down. No login needed – just select the network and accept terms.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Chez Alicia?
€1.65 per person per night
Where can I eat cheaply near Chez Alicia?
A prix fixe lunch menu at a small bistro or brasserie gives you two courses for €13–€16.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Chez Alicia?
A single bus ticket costs €1.20 from the driver; a day pass is €6.50. The cheapest way from Paris is a TER train (€12–€16 if booked ahead) or a BlaBlaCar bus around €10. There is no airport in Blois itself; fly into Paris CDG or Orly then take a direct train.
When is the best time to visit Blois?
May–June and September: warm sunny days (20–25°C), low rainfall, and fewer crowds than July–August. The Loire Valley bike paths are in peak condition, and the château gardens are in full bloom.
Top Attractions in Blois
💡 Climb it at 11am when the château bells ring through the steps – the acoustics are excellent. Each statue has a small plaque in French; the one of Denis Papin shows his steam digester, a precursor to the pressure cooker.
💡 The top terrace has the best photo spot for the cathedral silhouette; go at sunset when the stone glows golden. Benches are limited so bring a scarf to sit on grass.
💡 Walk to the middle and look upstream at dawn – the mist over the river and the château reflection are spectacular. On the south bank, a free public beach (Plage de la Loire) opens in summer.
💡 Check the dragon clock heads in the facade at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm – they move and growl. That's free to watch even if you skip the museum.
💡 Arrive just before 11am to hear the château's hourly carillon play a short tune; best free sound experience in town.