What is the most beautiful castle in Loire?

The most visited in Loire is Château de la Roche, 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 181 castles recorded in Loire, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.

The 10 most beautiful castles in Loire

10 châteaux

Chosen among 181 recorded castles

What to see in Loire 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 la Roche (Roche Castle)
Saint-Priest-la-Roche
Once perched on a rocky outcrop above the Loire, the château de la Roche now stands on an island, the only building spared when the Villerest dam was filled in 1984. First recorded in 1260 as a watch and toll post for the county of Forez, it was restored in neo-gothic style in the early twentieth century after…
Adult €8Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château de Bouthéon (Bouthéon Castle)
Andrézieux-Bouthéon
Perched on a promontory above the Loire river and the Forez plain, Bouthéon castle carries seven centuries of history, having belonged in turn to the counts of Forez, the La Fayette family, the Bourbons and the Gadagne family before passing into municipal ownership.
Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château d'Essalois (Essalois Castle)
Chambles
Essalois castle overlooks Lake Grangent from a rocky spur above the village of Chambles, in the Loire department. The site was already occupied in Gaulish times before a medieval tower was raised there, later replaced by the main building constructed at the end of the 16th century.
Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château des Cornes d'Urfé (Cornes d'Urfé Castle)
Champoly
Perched at 927 metres on a volcanic rock outcrop, the château des Cornes d'Urfé overlooks the valley above Champoly. Built in stages between the 12th and 16th centuries, it was the seat of the lords of Urfé before being plundered and abandoned after the French Revolution.
Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château de Matel (Matel Castle)
Roanne
In Roanne, the Château de Matel stands along the Roanne-to-Digoin canal, surrounded by a park with century-old yew trees.
Hours, prices and access
No. 6
Château de Montrouge (Montrouge Castle)
Savigneux
The château de Montrouge stands in Savigneux, in the Loire department. Its heritage value rests on a small room on the first floor of the southwest tower, whose decoration led to its listing as a historic monument. The estate is now privately owned and used as a venue for private events.
Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château de Couzan (Couzan Castle)
Sail-sous-Couzan
The ruins of Couzan castle overlook the village of Sail-sous-Couzan, in the Loire department, and date back to the 11th century. The stronghold belonged to the powerful Damas family, one of whom, Guy II, rose to become grand chamberlain of France in the early 15th century.
Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Château de Beaulieu (Beaulieu Castle)
Riorges
château de Beaulieu, in Riorges (Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
Hours, prices and access
No. 9
Château de Saint-Bonnet-les-Oules
Saint-Bonnet-les-Oules
Located in Saint-Bonnet-les-Oules, in the Loire department, this castle combines remnants of a medieval fortified house with a 19th-century restoration in a neo-Renaissance style. Notable features include a grand staircase with a wrought-iron railing and a keep room decorated with mural paintings.
Hours, prices and access
No. 10
Château de Saint-Victor (Saint-Victor Castle)
Saint-Victor-sur-Loire
The Château de Saint-Victor overlooks the medieval village of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire, in the Loire department, where the Loire and Lizeron valleys meet. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when the site was a fortified settlement flanked by two towers, one from the 12th century and the other from the 16th.
Hours, prices and access

Every castle in Loire (181)Which ones open this weekend?

Frequently asked questions

What is the most beautiful castle in Loire?: The most visited in Loire is Château de la Roche, 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 181 castles recorded in Loire, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.