These steps were built in 1865 to connect the lower town near the Loire with the upper town, and the climb gives you a straight view toward the Jacques-Gabriel bridge and far out over the river on a clear day. Pause at the top or bottom landing so you can see the statue of Denis Papin and notice how the stairs were meant as a monument, not just a shortcut. From here, the best move is to keep walking into the old town, where the streets bend uphill past plaques, small squares, and old houses that make Blois feel like a place built around movement between levels. If you come early or late, there are usually fewer people on the steps and softer light for photos. If your family wants the bigger spend later, the Château Royal de Blois adds four wings in four architectural styles, but this free staircase already gives you the city’s shape before you even reach the château.