Can you still visit the château du Bouffay?

No, it was torn down in 1843 and none of its buildings remain today.

Where was the château du Bouffay located?

It stood in the heart of old Nantes, on the site of today's place du Bouffay, between the rue de la Paix and the rue du Bouffay.

What remains of the château du Bouffay?

Only its clock tower survived the demolition, before itself disappearing in 1848.

Why is the château du Bouffay notable?

It was Nantes's first stronghold, seat of the counts' power and later of justice, housing the Bouffay prison and the revolutionary tribunal.

Château du Bouffay

Bouffay Castle

Nantes

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Nantes

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

This week in the agenda

Nature Nomade 2026, le festival nantais des grands voyageursFri, Nov 6 · château des ducs de Bretagne0 km
Le Cocktail des Futurs Mariés - L'Atelier WeddingFri, Nov 6 · Manoir de Procé2 km
Visite guidée – Nantes durant la Première Guerre mondialeSat, Nov 7 · château des ducs de Bretagne0 km

Château du Bouffay stands in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), in the Pays de la Loire region of France. No visits are on record for this building.

The château du Bouffay no longer stands: it was Nantes's earliest stronghold, raised in the 10th century by Alain Barbetorte on the site of a Gallo-Roman fortification, before being overtaken by the château des ducs de Bretagne. Over the centuries it housed a prison, a court of justice and the revolutionary tribunal, until it was torn down during the 1843 urban works. No visible remains survive, though its memory lives on in the Bouffay district and the square bearing its name.

Written from Château du Bouffay

What to know

The château was fully demolished in 1843, so there is nothing to visit on site today.
Only its clock tower, rebuilt in 1664, survived until 1848.
The site now corresponds to the place du Bouffay and the surrounding streets in Nantes's historic centre.
The nearby Sainte-Croix church, which served as the château's chapel, still stands and carries the old belfry atop its steeple.

Where this château is

Nantes · Loire-Atlantique · Pays de la Loire

Map of the area around Château du Bouffay

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Nantes, Loire-Atlantique

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

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Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can you still visit the château du Bouffay?: No, it was torn down in 1843 and none of its buildings remain today.
Where was the château du Bouffay located?: It stood in the heart of old Nantes, on the site of today's place du Bouffay, between the rue de la Paix and the rue du Bouffay.
What remains of the château du Bouffay?: Only its clock tower survived the demolition, before itself disappearing in 1848.
Why is the château du Bouffay notable?: It was Nantes's first stronghold, seat of the counts' power and later of justice, housing the Bouffay prison and the revolutionary tribunal.