The 10 most beautiful castles in Haute-Savoie
10 châteaux
Chosen among 139 recorded castles
What to see in Haute-Savoie 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 d'Annecy (Annecy Castle)
Annecy
Standing above Annecy's old town, this fortified castle dates back to the 12th century. It was reshaped over time by the Dukes of Savoy and later by the Savoie-Nemours branch, giving it a composite architectural character. The site is listed as a historic monument.
No. 2
Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard (Menthon-Saint-Bernard Castle)
Menthon-Saint-Bernard
Perched on a rocky spur above Lake Annecy, this Alpine stronghold still holds three massive medieval towers, around which residential wings and later neo-Gothic additions inspired by Viollet-le-Duc were built over the centuries.
No. 3
Castle of Ripaille
Thonon-les-Bains
On the shores of Lake Geneva, Ripaille castle began as a residence of the counts and dukes of Savoy before becoming a Carthusian monastery and later a Belle Époque home for a Swiss industrialist.
No. 4
Château de Montrottier (Montrottier Castle)
Lovagny
Perched on a hill above the Fier gorges, close to Annecy, Montrottier castle keeps its 13th-century pentagonal enclosure and a cylindrical keep rising over 35 metres. The visit takes in the Knights' lodge and the Religieuse tower, the oldest building on site, along with an art collection assembled by a former owner.
Adult €10.50Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château des Avenières (Avenières Castle)
Cruseilles
The Château des Avenières stands above the Cruseilles plateau in Haute-Savoie, set within a sixty-two-hectare wooded estate.
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No. 6
Château d'Yvoire (Yvoire Castle)
Yvoire
On the shores of Lake Geneva, in the medieval village of Yvoire, stands a former fortified castle dating back to the early 13th century. The stronghold was built by the lords of Compey, then taken over and reinforced by the counts of Savoy to control this strategic point between the lake's two basins.
No. 7
Château d'Avully (Avully Castle)
Brenthonne
Avully Castle is a 14th-century fortified house that once guarded, in the commune of Brenthonne, the passage between Mont de Boisy and the Voirons range toward the Chablais region.
Adult €10Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Palais de l'Isle
Annecy
On an islet where the Thiou river splits in two, the Palais de l'Isle in Annecy has kept its prow shaped outline since the 12th century. Built as a fortified house, later a princely residence, a courthouse and a prison until the French Revolution, the building never moved even as its role changed.
No. 9
Château de Montjoux (Montjoux Castle)
Thonon-les-Bains
The château de Montjoux stands in the commune of Thonon-les-Bains, in Haute-Savoie, near Lake Geneva. The estate is mainly known today for hosting a large French-language music festival held every summer since 1997. Detailed information about the building itself, its architecture or its history remains scarce.
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No. 10
Château de Faverges (Faverges Castle)
Faverges-Seythenex
On a spur overlooking the town of Faverges, in Haute-Savoie, stands a 13th-century keep, the remnant of a fortified castle that once guarded the border between the counties of Savoy and Geneva.
Every castle in Haute-Savoie (139)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Haute-Savoie?
- The most visited in Haute-Savoie is Château d'Annecy, 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 139 castles recorded in Haute-Savoie, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.