Can you visit the Château des Moines freely?

Visits are organised by the Cruas tourist office, which offers guided tours throughout the year.

Since when has the Château des Moines been protected?

The site has been listed as a historic monument by decree of 3 September 1912.

What remains of the Château des Moines today?

Ruins survive including the château, a chapel converted into a keep, a curtain wall and a square tower.

Is the Château des Moines easy to access?

The site sits on a hill above the medieval village of Cruas, meaning a walk over uneven ground.

Château de Cruas

Cruas

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Where: Cruas

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

This week in the agenda

Château des Moines stands in Cruas (Ardèche), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 12th century, 15th century). Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Overlooking the abandoned medieval village of Cruas, the Château des Moines is a former fortified abbey whose ruins reflect centuries of successive building campaigns. Benedictine monks who settled there turned it into a stronghold, gradually converting a Romanesque chapel into a genuine keep. Visitors can still make out turrets, machicolations and a sentry walk, remnants of the Wars of Religion that the site withstood.

Written from Château des Moines

What to know

The site consists of ruins on a hillside, so visitors should expect walking and uneven ground.
The château, its lower chapel, the north curtain wall and the square tower have been listed as historic monuments since 1912.
The Cruas tourist office offers guided tours of the abbey site.
The surrounding medieval village is undergoing a long term restoration programme, so some areas may be under works.

Practical information

Opening hours

Monday	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Tuesday	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Wednesday	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Thursday (today)	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Friday	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Saturday	10:00-13:00 · 14:00-18:00
Sunday	10:00-13:00

Opening hours published by the château on its Google listing. We have not yet confirmed them on its official website.

Visit duration: Not verified
Wheelchair access: Not verified
Dogs: Not verified
Parking: Not verified

Where this château is

Cruas · Ardèche · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Map of the area around Château des Moines

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

CR du Château, 07350 Cruas

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

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4.4 / 5from 150 Google reviews

Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00116700
Period of construction: 12th century, 15th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can you visit the Château des Moines freely?: Visits are organised by the Cruas tourist office, which offers guided tours throughout the year.
Since when has the Château des Moines been protected?: The site has been listed as a historic monument by decree of 3 September 1912.
What remains of the Château des Moines today?: Ruins survive including the château, a chapel converted into a keep, a curtain wall and a square tower.
Is the Château des Moines easy to access?: The site sits on a hill above the medieval village of Cruas, meaning a walk over uneven ground.