The 10 most beautiful castles in Ardèche
10 châteaux
Chosen among 116 recorded castles
What to see in Ardèche 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 Crussol (Crussol Castle)
Saint-Péray
Set on a limestone spur above the Rhône valley, the Château de Crussol has overlooked the town of Saint-Péray since the 12th century, directly across from Valence in the Ardèche. Much of the structure now stands in ruins, but visitors can still walk among the remains and take in the sweeping view over the valley.
Adult €6Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Castle of Saint-Montan
Saint-Montan
The château de Saint-Montan overlooks the village of the same name in the Ardèche region. Built in the 11th century for defensive purposes, it later became a residence before being damaged during the French Wars of Religion.
No. 3
Château d'Aubenas (Aubenas Castle)
Aubenas
Standing on the highest point of Aubenas, this castle overlooks the middle valley of the Ardèche river from a limestone outcrop once used as a watch post.
Adult €9Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château de Montréal (Montréal Castle)
Montréal
Perched on a rocky spur above the fortified village of Montréal in the Ardèche region, this castle combines a twenty-five-metre medieval keep with a Renaissance residence built around an inner courtyard.
No. 5
Rochemaure castle
Rochemaure
Perched on a volcanic outcrop above the village and the Rhône valley, the ruins of Rochemaure castle include a twelfth-century keep some forty metres high, combining a square base with a pentagonal upper section built of dark basalt and pale limestone corner-stones.
Adult €3.50Hours, prices and access
No. 6
Château d'Alba-la-Romaine
Alba-la-Romaine
Perched on a volcanic outcrop above the village and the Escoutay valley, the château at Alba-la-Romaine combines an 11th-century keep with a wing added in the 17th century by the La Beaume de Suze family.
Adult €9Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château de Banne (Banne Castle)
Banne
In the village of Banne, in the Ardèche, a steep path leads up to a rocky platform where the remains of a castle stand, once among the most powerful strongholds of the medieval period.
No. 8
Tour de Brison
Sanilhac
Tour de Brison, in Sanilhac (Ardèche), France. Location, access and practical information.
No. 9
Château de Déomas (Déomas Castle)
Annonay
Château de Déomas stands north of Annonay, in the Ardèche region, within a thirteen-hectare wooded park planted with plane trees, oaks, sequoias and cedars. Built in 1876 by Paul Seguin in a classical style, it reflects the bourgeois architecture typical of Annonay at the end of the 19th century.
No. 10
Château de Rochebonne (Rochebonne Castle)
Saint-Martin-de-Valamas
The ruins of the Rochebonne castle stand on a granite outcrop overlooking the upper Eyrieux valley, in the Boutières area of Ardèche.
Free entryHours, prices and access
Every castle in Ardèche (116)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Ardèche?
- The most visited in Ardèche is Château de Crussol, 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; 1 of these castles are free.
- How is this selection made?
- Among the 116 castles recorded in Ardèche, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.