What is the most beautiful castle in Loire?

The most visited in Loire is Château d'Essalois, 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 attendance, from the number of Google reviews. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.

No. 1
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. 2
Château de Beaulieu (Beaulieu Castle)
Riorges
château de Beaulieu, in Riorges (Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château de Saint-Victor (Saint-Victor Castle)
Saint-Victor-sur-Loire
château de Saint-Victor, in Saint-Victor-sur-Loire (Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château des Cornes d'Urfé (Cornes d'Urfé Castle)
Champoly
Château des Cornes d'Urfé, in Champoly (Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château de Donzy (Donzy Castle)
Salt-en-Donzy
Perched on a hillock overlooking the Forez plain, the ruins of Donzy castle stand in an isolated setting beside the Charpassonne stream, a short distance from the village of Salt-en-Donzy.
Hours, prices and access
No. 6
Château de Montrond (Montrond Castle)
Montrond-les-Bains
Perched on a volcanic outcrop above the Forez plain, the ruins of Montrond castle span several centuries of history, from an early fortification dating to the 12th century to Renaissance alterations commissioned by the d'Apchon family.
Adult €6.50Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château de Saint-Marcel-de-Félines
Saint-Marcel-de-Félines
château de Saint-Marcel-de-Félines, in Saint-Marcel-de-Félines (Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Château, Roche-la-Molière
Roche-la-Molière
The château de Roche-la-Molière stands within a landscaped park in the town of the same name, in the Loire department. Founded in the 14th century, it passed through many hands before becoming, in the 20th century, a municipal cultural venue.
Adult €4Hours, prices and access
No. 9
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. 10
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

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 d'Essalois, 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.