What is the most beautiful castle in Ain?

The most visited in Ain is Château de Lavours, first in this selection according to its visitors’ reviews. All 10 castles listed are open to visitors with checked hours.

How much does a visit cost?

The adult entry price is shown under each castle when the official website publishes it; 0 of these castles are free.

How is this selection made?

Among the 261 castles recorded in Ain, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.

The 10 most beautiful castles in Ain

10 châteaux

Chosen among 261 recorded castles

What to see in Ain when you only have a weekend: the 10 most visited castles according to their visitors’ reviews, among those open to the public whose visiting conditions we checked on the official website. For each: what you see, the entry price, the link to the full entry.

Ranked by attendance, from the number of Google reviews. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.

No. 1
Château de Lavours (Lavours Castle)
Lavours
The site linked to the château de Lavours today merges with the surrounding marsh nature reserve, in the Ain department. A boardwalk trail winds through the wetland, lined with information panels and two observation points overlooking the wildlife and vegetation.
Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château d'Ambronay (Ambronay Castle)
Ambronay
Ambronay castle, also known as château de Blains, stands in the commune of Ambronay in the Ain department. Built in the 16th century and later restored in the 19th century by the Des Blains family, it retains a round tower on its southern side and a grand staircase leading to a reception hall upstairs.
Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château de Chazey-sur-Ain (Chazey-sur-Ain Castle)
Chazey-sur-Ain
Standing on the high ground overlooking the village of Chazey-sur-Ain, this 12th-century fortified castle carries eight centuries of history, from the lords of Coligny to the House of Savoy.
Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château de Pont-de-Veyle
Pont-de-Veyle
Set on an island formed by branches of the Veyle river, this 18th-century château now houses the town hall and the offices of the local intercommunal authority, making it a building one passes by rather than tours.
Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château du Petit-Casset (Petit-Casset Castle)
La Boisse
The château du Petit-Casset stands in La Boisse, in the Ain department, about twenty kilometres from Lyon. The building has been converted into a hotel and is not open to the public as a heritage site. It now houses a hotel with guest rooms and an outdoor pool, set within the grounds of the estate.
Hours, prices and access
No. 6
Château de Trévoux (Trévoux Castle)
Trévoux
On the Dombes plateau, above the town of Trévoux, stand the remains of a fortified castle built in the late 13th or early 14th century by the lords of Villars. Abandoned after the siege of 1563, it was never rebuilt or altered, making it a rare surviving example of medieval military architecture.
Adult €7.50Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château de Treffort (Treffort Castle)
Val-Revermont
The château de Treffort stands at the top of the village, in the Revermont hills, on a fortified site dating back to the 10th century. The medieval stronghold was destroyed in 1641 during the Franco-Spanish war and later rebuilt in the early 20th century by the architect Tony Ferret, who lived in Treffort.
Adult €9Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Castle of Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens
Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens
Located in Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens, in the Ain department, this mid-18th-century château owes its fame to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who spent his childhood summers there and wrote about it, notably in Wind, Sand and Stars.
Hours, prices and access
No. 9
Château des Échelles (Échelles Castle)
Ambérieu-en-Bugey
The château des Échelles is located in Ambérieu-en-Bugey, in the Ain department. The building now houses an associative leisure centre and is not presented as a heritage site open for tourist visits.
Hours, prices and access
No. 10
Château de Saint-Bernard (Saint-Bernard Castle)
Saint-Bernard
Standing above the village of Saint-Bernard in the Ain department, this fortified castle dating from the early 14th century once formed part of a defensive line facing Savoy.
Hours, prices and access

Every castle in Ain (261)Which ones open this weekend?

Frequently asked questions

What is the most beautiful castle in Ain?: The most visited in Ain is Château de Lavours, first in this selection according to its visitors’ reviews. All 10 castles listed are open to visitors with checked hours.
How much does a visit cost?: The adult entry price is shown under each castle when the official website publishes it; 0 of these castles are free.
How is this selection made?: Among the 261 castles recorded in Ain, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.