The Royal Château de Blois is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois.
The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans.
Built in the middle of the town that it effectively controlled, the château of Blois comprises several buildings constructed from the 13th to the 17th century around the main courtyard.
It has 564 rooms, 100 bedrooms and 75 staircases.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Blois
See also: http://www.pbase.com/light_works/image/150540514