Reconstruction in Blois

Following German bombing raids in 1940, the town was ravaged over an area of around six hectares. Blois was declared a disaster area by decree on July 31, 1940.

Reconstruction was organized on a national level, and Parisian urban planner Charles Nicod was put in charge in March 1941.
The chosen plan was adapted to the city's specific features and assets. It was conceived with a view to enhancing the town's landscape and monumental qualities, as well as developing its tourist potential. On the one hand, the new architecture was to be harmoniously integrated into the preserved town envelope.

On the other hand, work was done to enhance the perspectives discovered after the destruction: the view of the castle and the cathedral from the bridge... Visibility in the vicinity of listed buildings and under the ramparts was the subject of regulations governing the height of buildings. Charles Nicod thus defined the evolution of the urban landscape, specifying its characteristics: the presence of buildings, their color, texture, scale, architectural style, character and legibility.

Nevertheless, controversial choices were made that put the architect's concern for preserving Blois heritage into perspective: the metal covered market and the old fish market were sacrificed for the reconstruction of a single, more modern facility, the Tour d'Argent for the alignment of the Rue des Trois-Clés,
the theater to enlarge Place Louis-XII and open up the view of the château, under the direction of a new architect, André Aubert.
Reconstruction began in 1946, but due to a number of difficulties, the work lasted until the mid-sixties.

If you have any questions about the Second World War in Blois, visit the Centre de la Résistance, de la Déportation et de la Mémoire.

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