What remains of Étampes castle today?

Only the keep, known as the Guinette tower, survives, the surrounding walls and buildings have disappeared over the centuries.

Can visitors climb the Guinette tower?

The available facts do not specify interior access conditions, the site is mainly presented as an outdoor walking area.

Why does the tower have an unusual shape?

The keep follows a quatrefoil plan, an uncommon form for a 12th century structure.

Is the Guinette tower a protected monument?

Yes, it has been listed as a historic monument since the 1862 listing.

Château d'Étampes

Étampes Castle

Étampes

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Étampes

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Château d'Étampes stands in Étampes (Essonne), in the Île-de-France region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument. No visits are on record for this building.

On the Guinette plateau, northwest of Étampes, stands an isolated keep, the sole surviving trace of a royal fortress long since gone. Built around 1140 for Louis VII, the structure follows an unusual quatrefoil plan, setting it apart from most medieval keeps. Of the fortified town that once spread out below, with its three successive enclosures, only this 36 metre tower remains, overlooking the Juine valley. The site is now laid out as a public walk above Étampes's railway station and residential district.

Written from Château d'Étampes

What to know

Only the keep, known as the Guinette tower, remains of the original castle, the surrounding walls have all disappeared.
Reaching the site involves climbing a sloped path, worth noting for visitors with reduced mobility.
Today the site functions as an open-air walking area rather than a monument with guided indoor visits.
The tower has been listed as a historic monument since 1862.

Where this château is

Étampes · Essonne · Île-de-France

Map of the area around Château d'Étampes

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

91150 Étampes

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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3.7 / 5from 3 Google reviews

Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00087907

In pictures

Frequently asked

What remains of Étampes castle today?: Only the keep, known as the Guinette tower, survives, the surrounding walls and buildings have disappeared over the centuries.
Can visitors climb the Guinette tower?: The available facts do not specify interior access conditions, the site is mainly presented as an outdoor walking area.
Why does the tower have an unusual shape?: The keep follows a quatrefoil plan, an uncommon form for a 12th century structure.
Is the Guinette tower a protected monument?: Yes, it has been listed as a historic monument since the 1862 listing.