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Chateaupedia

Castles in Haute-Loire, France

11 open to visitors · 116 châteaux listed · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

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

We record 116 castles, manor houses and strongholds in Haute-Loire, spread across 83 towns and villages. The ones with the most visitor reviews are Château de Polignac (Polignac Castle) (open to visitors), Château de Chalencon (Chalencon Castle) (a listed historic monument), Château d'Arlempdes (Arlempdes Castle) (with a restaurant), Château de La Rochelambert (Rochelambert Castle) (16th century) and Château de Rochebaron (Rochebaron Castle) (601 reviews).

14 of them receive visitors, according to their official website or their business listing. We have checked the opening hours of 13 and the prices of 8 of them, and each entry shows the date of that check. 20 of them are listed historic monuments, the highest level of protection in French heritage law. The dominant period is the Middle Ages, with 79 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 Haute-Loire

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 Polignac (Polignac Castle)

    Polignac

    Polignac castle stands on a basalt platform above the valley of the same name, a few kilometres from Le Puy-en-Velay.

  2. 2

    Château de Chalencon (Chalencon Castle)

    Saint-André-de-Chalencon

    Perched on a rocky outcrop above the Ance valley, Chalencon castle overlooks the hamlet of the same name and preserves the ruins of a medieval fortress, cradle of one of the great families…

    Adult €3.50

  3. 3

    Château d'Arlempdes (Arlempdes Castle)

    Arlempdes

    Standing on a rocky spur above the Loire valley, Arlempdes castle survives mainly as ruins alongside a 12th-century chapel, the only building left intact.

    Adult €6

  4. 4

    Château de La Rochelambert (Rochelambert Castle)

    Saint-Paulien

    Set against a wall of basalt rock in the Borne valley, the château de la Rochelambert overlooks a ravine near Saint-Paulien in the Haute-Loire region.

    Adult €8

  5. 5

    Château de Rochebaron (Rochebaron Castle)

    Bas-en-Basset

    Perched on a rocky spur above Bas-en-Basset, the ruins of Rochebaron castle recall a stronghold built in the 14th century on the border between the Velay and Forez regions.

    Adult €10

  6. 6

    Château de Domeyrat (Domeyrat Castle)

    Domeyrat

    In the village of Domeyrat, in the Haute-Loire, stands a fortified residence built in the 15th century, though its lower courses may date back to the 12th century.

    Adult €9

  7. 7

    Château d'Artias (Artias Castle)

    Retournac

    Perched on a basalt spur above the Loire gorges, west of Retournac, the ruins of Artias castle rank among the oldest feudal remains in the Velay region.

  8. 8

    Château de Bouzols (Bouzols Castle)

    Arsac-en-Velay

    Set on a volcanic neck above the upper Loire valley, the château de Bouzols overlooks Arsac-en-Velay with its medieval keep.

    Adult €8

The 10 most beautiful castles in Haute-Loire, our selection

Coming this weekend? 6 castles open on Saturday or Sunday in Haute-Loire.

How much does it cost? 8 entry prices in Haute-Loire, including 0 free castles.

During the holidays, 5 castles open in Haute-Loire (Christmas holidays).

During the holidays, 6 castles open in Haute-Loire (February holidays).

During the holidays, 7 castles open in Haute-Loire (spring holidays).

For the spring long weekends, 6 castles open at Easter 2027 in Haute-Loire · 7 castles open for the May 2027 long weekends in Haute-Loire.

In French: Tous les châteaux de la Haute-Loire

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Frequently asked

How many châteaux in Haute-Loire can you visit?
We record 116 châteaux in Haute-Loire, across 83 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 Haute-Loire?
Château de Polignac, in Polignac, with 3,073 visitor reviews. Actual footfall is the measure, not an editorial ranking.
How many châteaux in Haute-Loire are listed historic monuments?
20 out of 116. 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 13 châteaux in this list, read from their official website or their business listing, with the date we last checked shown.