The 10 most beautiful castles in Cantal
10 châteaux
Chosen among 144 recorded castles
What to see in Cantal 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 d'Anjony (Anjony Castle)
Tournemire
In the village of Tournemire, this 15th-century fortified castle stands with its keep flanked by four round towers, remarkably preserved since it never endured a siege. Inside, visitors can see 16th-century frescoes depicting the Nine Worthies, along with a chapel painted with scenes from the Passion.
Adult €10Hours, prices and access
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No. 2
Castle of Pesteils
Polminhac
Standing on a rocky spur above Polminhac and the Cère valley, the Château de Pesteils combines a keep dating from the 14th-15th centuries with a residential wing enlarged in the 17th century and reworked in a neo-Gothic style at the end of the 19th.
Adult €11Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château du Sailhant (Sailhant Castle)
Andelat
Château du Sailhant, in Andelat (Cantal), France. Location, access and practical information.
No. 4
Chateau du Jarrousset
La Chapelle-d'Alagnon
In the heart of the Cantal region, the château du Jarrousset is built around a square keep dating from the 15th century, extended through two later building phases that shaped its present layout enclosing a courtyard of honour.
No. 5
Château d'Alleuze (Alleuze Castle)
Alleuze
Perched on a rocky spur above the Alleuze valley, this ruined stronghold still shows its square plan flanked by four round towers, characteristic of 14th-century fortresses. Never a royal residence, it functioned as a forward post guarding Saint-Flour and housed only a garrison.
Free entryHours, prices and access
No. 6
Château des Ternes (Les Ternes)
Les Ternes
The château des Ternes stands in the village of the same name in the Cantal region, on a site that held a defensive role from the 11th century onward.
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No. 7
Château de Laroque (Laroque Castle)
Laroquebrou
Perched on a rocky spur above a bridge over the Cère river, Laroquebrou castle preserves the outline of a 13th-century medieval stronghold built to watch over the road toward Quercy and the Limousin.
Adult €1Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Château de la Bastide (Bastide Castle)
Salers
In the centre of Salers, the Château de la Bastide combines two 17th-century wings, one entered through a door dated 1666, the other flanked by a round tower and defensive terraces. The building can be viewed from the Avenue de Barouze, offering a clear look at its original architecture.
No. 9
Château de Vieillevie (Vieillevie Castle)
Vieillevie
Standing above the Lot river, Vieillevie castle keeps the look of a medieval stronghold reshaped during the Renaissance. Two round towers flank a main building where wooden hoardings and machicolations, seldom preserved elsewhere, still show how the defence once worked.
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No. 10
Castel of Carlat
Carlat
The château de Carlat survives mainly as a place of memory today, perched on a basalt plateau in the Cantal region and reached by a stairway cut directly into the rock.
Every castle in Cantal (144)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Cantal?
- The most visited in Cantal is Château d'Anjony, 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 144 castles recorded in Cantal, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.