_2012.JPG/960px-Palais_Nika%C3%AFa_(Nice%2C_FRA)_2012.JPG)
The 10 most beautiful castles in Alpes-Maritimes
10 châteaux
Chosen among 60 recorded castles
What to see in Alpes-Maritimes 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 renown: how often their name is searched on Google each month, and how many reviews visitors have left. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.
.JPG/960px-Ch%C3%A2teau_de_la_Napoule_(2014).JPG)
No. 2
Château de la Napoule (Napoule Castle)
Mandelieu-la-Napoule
Standing above the shoreline opposite the harbour entrance of Mandelieu-la-Napoule, this castle occupies a site held since the Middle Ages.
No. 3
Palais Lascaris
Nice
Tucked into a narrow street of Vieux-Nice, this 17th-century baroque palace still holds its original decor: frescoed ceilings, a grand staircase framed by arcaded galleries, Flemish tapestries.
Adult €5Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Palais de la Méditerranée
Nice
On the Promenade des Anglais, the Art Deco facade of the Palais de la Méditerranée is the sole survivor of the original casino, rescued from demolition at the last moment.
.jpg/960px-Le_Haut-de-Cagnes_01_(cropped).jpg)
No. 5
Château Grimaldi (Grimaldi Castle)
Cagnes-sur-Mer
Standing above the village of Haut-de-Cagnes, this fourteenth-century fortress served as the residence of the Grimaldi family of Antibes for nearly five hundred years, before being turned into an Italian-style palace in the early seventeenth century.
Adult €4Hours, prices and access
No. 6
Roquebrune castle
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Standing at the heart of the village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, this medieval castle is also known as the Grimaldi castle. It dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was built to defend the area against Saracen raids.
Adult €5Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château de la Croë (Croë Castle)
Antibes
On the Cap d'Antibes, la Croë is a large early twentieth-century residence built by the Mediterranean shore, its architecture recalling the grand aristocratic houses of the interwar years.
No. 8
Château Valrose
Nice
On the heights of Nice, Valrose castle stands out for its neo-Gothic design, built in the last third of the 19th century for a wealthy Russian baron. The estate, now home to the university, still bears traces of a landscaped park once filled with Italian palm trees, pavilions and ornamental water features.
No. 9
Castle of Gairaut
Nice
On the hills above Nice, the Château de Gairaut is a Belle Époque villa built in the early 1900s for the Nice millionaire Joseph Giordan, on land that already held an older dwelling. Inside, about thirty rooms surround a glass-domed atrium, with frescoes attributed to Jules Chéret and, in one case, Alfons Mucha.
No. 10
Château de Villeneuve (Villeneuve Castle)
Vence
Set against the ramparts of Vence's old town, the Château de Villeneuve is a 17th century building erected by the Villeneuve family, marquises of Vence. Bequeathed to the town by Émile Hugues, a former mayor and government minister, it now houses contemporary art exhibitions.
Adult €6Hours, prices and access
Every castle in Alpes-Maritimes (60)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Alpes-Maritimes?
- The most visited in Alpes-Maritimes is Palais Nikaïa, 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 60 castles recorded in Alpes-Maritimes, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.