Château de Balzac
Balzac Castle
Balzac
Visit
Hours to be confirmed
You are leaving for the château’s own website
Tickets and prices
- Adult
- €12
- Child
- €6
Free for free access to the exterior grounds; children under 6
- Where
- Balzac
Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.Check on the official website
To make a day of it
Open within 20 km
Château de Balzac stands in Balzac (Charente), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 17th century). Adult admission costs 12 EUR. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.
Near Angoulême, this 17th century manor takes its name from the Guez de Balzac family, whose son Jean-Louis, a scholar of the Académie, spent his childhood here before leaving his mark on the French language. Marie de Médicis stayed for several months after escaping from Blois, and the house became a setting for attempts at reconciliation with her son Louis XIII. Visitors can see a U-shaped main building with a pyramidal-roofed pavilion, 17th century trompe-l'oeil murals, and salons remodelled in the following century, set within a park crossed by a canal.
Written from Château de Balzac
What to know
- The adult admission fee is 12 euros.
- The château is open only one day a week, according to the owners' schedule.
- The building has been listed as a historic monument since 2007, with the protection extended in 2020.
- The four-hectare park can be explored along a canal with a fish pond and a wash house.
- The visit covers a privately owned, still-inhabited manor, restored with close attention to historical accuracy.
Practical information
Opening hours
- du 12 juillet au 20 août
- 12h-18h pour les extérieurs, sauf les samedis
- visite guidée de l'intérieur tous les jours sauf les samedis à 17h
- 21 et 22 septembre 2024 (Journées Européennes du Patrimoine)
- visites guidées à 11h, 15h et 16h30
Annual closures : every Saturday
Prices
- Adult
- €12
- Child
- €6
Free for free access to the exterior grounds; children under 6
- Visit duration
- Not verified
- Wheelchair access
- Not verified
- Dogs
- Not verified
- Parking
- Not verified
Where this château is
Balzac · Charente · Nouvelle-Aquitaine
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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km
Address
Rte de l'Église, 16430 Balzac
Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.
The safest check before setting off: today’s hours, guided-tour availability, where to park.
4.2 / 5from 67 Google reviews
- Period of construction
- 17th century
Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme
In pictures
Frequently asked
- Château de Balzac: how much is admission?
- Adult admission is €12. Child: €6. Free for: free access to the exterior grounds; children under 6.
- Who lived at the château de Balzac?
- The Guez family, including Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac, a scholar known for his influence on the French language, spent his childhood there.
- Did Marie de Médicis really stay at the château de Balzac?
- Yes, she lived there for around six months after escaping from the château de Blois, and attempts at reconciliation with Louis XIII took place there.
- Is the château de Balzac still inhabited today?
- Yes, it has belonged to the de Labrouhe de Laborderie family since 1974, who carried out its restoration.
- Is the château de Balzac a listed historic monument?
- Yes, it has been listed as a historic monument since 2007, with the protection extended in 2020.
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Sources
Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.
- This entry in Markdown
- Wikidata Q2968417
- Mérimée PA00104236
- Official website
