The 10 most beautiful castles in Ardèche
10 châteaux
Chosen among 119 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 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.
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
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. 3
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. 4
Château de Vogüé (Vogüé, France)
Vogüé
Perched on a limestone cliff above the Ardèche river and overlooking the village of Vogüé, this fortified castle founded in the 12th century has passed through phases as both a medieval stronghold and a Renaissance residence.
.JPG/960px-Chateau_du_Roure_(4).JPG)
No. 5
Château des Roure (Roure Castle)
Labastide-de-Virac
In the village of Labastide-de-Virac, in southern Ardèche, the Château des Roure rises above the rooftops with its two round towers and keep.
Adult €17.50Hours, prices and access
No. 6
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. 7
Tour de Brison
Sanilhac
Standing at 781 metres above the village of Sanilhac in the Ardèche, the tower of Brison is the sole surviving remnant of a vanished fortified complex. Rising some fifty metres, it overlooks the villages of Vernon, Beaumont and Sanilhac and gives a wide circular view over the surrounding hills.
No. 8
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. 9
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.
.jpg/960px-Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Rosi%C3%A8res_(Ard%C3%A8che).jpg)
No. 10
Château de Rosières (Rosières Castle)
Saint-Félicien
Two kilometres from Saint-Félicien, in the Ardèche region, the château de Rosières stands on a rocky spur above the Daronne valley.
Every castle in Ardèche (119)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; 0 of these castles are free.
- How is this selection made?
- Among the 119 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.