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Chateaupedia

Castles in Allier, France

17 open to visitors · 295 châteaux listed · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Every château we have listed in this department, with its verification level.

We record 295 castles, manor houses and strongholds in Allier, spread across 173 towns and villages. The ones with the most visitor reviews are Château de La Palice (Palice Castle) (open to visitors), Castle of the dukes of Bourbon (a listed historic monument), Château de Billy (Billy Castle) (1,079 reviews), Château de Bourbon (open to visitors) and Château de Beauvoir (Beauvoir Castle) (you can stay the night).

28 of them receive visitors, according to their official website or their business listing. We have checked the opening hours of 23 and the prices of 10 of them, and each entry shows the date of that check. 30 of them are listed historic monuments, the highest level of protection in French heritage law. The dominant period is the Middle Ages, with 115 buildings. Each entry says what we could verify and what still needs confirming: enough to plan a day that holds together.

The 8 castles not to miss in Allier

The most searched-for on Google and the most reviewed by visitors, among those open to visitors, with the essentials of each entry.

  1. 1

    Château de La Palice (Palice Castle)

    Saint-Prix

    Standing on a hilltop above the Besbre valley, this castle at Lapalisse traces its origins to a 12th century stronghold, later reshaped over the centuries under the Chabannes family.

  2. 2

    Castle of the dukes of Bourbon

    Moulins

    In Moulins, the castle of the dukes of Bourbon brings together traces of its medieval origins and a later, darker past.

    Adult €12

  3. 3

    Château de Billy (Billy Castle)

    Billy

    The château de Billy stands in ruins atop a limestone hill in the Allier department, some fifteen kilometres from Vichy.

  4. 4

    Château de Bourbon

    Bourbon-l'Archambault

    Perched on a rocky spur that once controlled the Burge valley, the ruins of the château de Bourbon-l'Archambault bear witness to seven centuries of successive building campaigns, from the…

  5. 5

    Château de Beauvoir (Beauvoir Castle)

    Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre

    Set on a hilltop above the Besbre valley, Beauvoir castle retains the profile of a medieval stronghold rebuilt in Renaissance style after the ravages of the Hundred Years' War.

  6. 6

    Château d'Avrilly (Avrilly Castle)

    Trévol

    In the commune of Trévol, in the Allier department, the château d'Avrilly stands with its medieval façade along the old national road 7, set within a walled park of one hundred hectares.

  7. 7

    Château de la Mothe (Mothe Castle)

    Vicq

    The Château de la Mothe stands in Vicq, in the Allier department, on the site of a former earthwork castle whose stone construction was completed around 1500 by Louis d'Arçon de Chauvigny.

  8. 8

    Château de la Crête (Crête Castle)

    Audes

    At Audes, in the Allier department, the Château de la Crête brings together the remains of a medieval stronghold and a building erected at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, set…

The 10 most beautiful castles in Allier, our selection

Coming this weekend? 17 castles open on Saturday or Sunday in Allier.

How much does it cost? 9 entry prices in Allier, including 1 free castles.

During the holidays, 16 castles open in Allier (Christmas holidays).

During the holidays, 18 castles open in Allier (February holidays).

During the holidays, 20 castles open in Allier (spring holidays).

For the spring long weekends, 18 castles open at Easter 2027 in Allier · 20 castles open for the May 2027 long weekends in Allier.

In French: Tous les châteaux de l’Allier

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Frequently asked

How many châteaux in Allier can you visit?
We record 295 châteaux in Allier, across 173 towns and villages. Not all are open: many are private properties we list for their heritage interest, and the entry says so when we know.
Which is the most visited château in Allier?
Château de La Palice, in Saint-Prix, with 1,695 visitor reviews. Actual footfall is the measure, not an editorial ranking.
How many châteaux in Allier are listed historic monuments?
30 out of 295. Listing is the highest level of protection in French heritage law; every entry links to its official record in the Mérimée database.
Where can I find opening hours?
On each entry. We know the hours of 23 châteaux in this list, read from their official website or their business listing, with the date we last checked shown.