Castle of Cognac

To make a day of it

Château de Cognac stands in Cognac (Charente), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 14th century, 16th century). Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Standing on the banks of the Charente in Cognac, this castle occupies a site fortified since the 10th century, though the buildings seen today date mainly from the rebuilding carried out by the counts of Angoulême in the 15th century, under Jean de Valois and then François I, who was born here in 1494. The long river-facing façade, with its so-called king's balcony decorated with salamanders, dates from around 1500. Since the 19th century the buildings have housed cellars belonging to a brandy trading house, so medieval remains now sit alongside a working spirits business.

Written from Château de Cognac

What to know

• The castle has been listed as a monument historique since 1925.
• The visit focuses on the surviving medieval and Renaissance sections, located within a site still used as brandy cellars.
• The Tour du comte Jean and the Logis du Gouverneur are among the best-preserved parts to see on site.
• No verified information on opening hours, prices or accessibility is available here.

Practical information

Visit duration

Not verified

Wheelchair access

Not verified

Dogs

Not verified

Parking

Not verified

Some rooms are not accessible to visitors in wheelchairs (Salle au Casque, Appartements du Roi, Chais humides). Accessible: the ticket office, the Salles de réception Renaissance, the Cour Louise de Savoie, the Bar Le Lys.

Where this château is

Cognac · Charente · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

127 Bd Denfert Rochereau, 16100 Cognac

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

Get directionsView on a map

Château phone number

+33 5 45 36 88 86

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The safest check before setting off: today’s hours, guided-tour availability, where to park.

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Heritage status

Registered historic monument (inscrit)

Mérimée record PA00104306

Period of construction

14th century, 16th century

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

In pictures

Frequently asked

Was François I born at the château de Cognac?

Yes, François I was born in this castle in 1494, then a residence of the counts of Angoulême.

What remains of the original medieval castle?

Little survives from the 10th-century castrum, but the 13th-century Tour du comte Jean and remnants of the Romanesque chapel remain.

Does a cognac house still own the castle?

Since the late 18th century the buildings have housed cellars run by a brandy trading house.

Is the château listed as a historic monument?

It was listed as a monument historique by decree on 15 May 1925.

Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.

• This entry in Markdown
• Wikidata Q2240557
• Mérimée PA00104306
• Official website

Within an hour’s drive

• Château de Châtenay (Châtenay Castle)Cognac · Charente
• Château de Bagnolet (Bagnolet Castle)Cognac · Charente
• Château de Chanteloup (Chanteloup Castle)Val-de-Cognac · Charente
• Château de Richemont (Richemont Castle)Val-de-Cognac · Charente
• Logis du BouquetJavrezac · Charente
• Logis de BoussacCherves-Richemont · Charente

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