The 10 most beautiful castles in Mayenne
10 châteaux
Chosen among 211 recorded castles
What to see in Mayenne 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 Sainte-Suzanne (Sainte-Suzanne Castle)
Sainte-Suzanne-et-Chammes
In Sainte-Suzanne, in the Mayenne department, this castle combines a medieval stronghold with a residence built in the early 17th century by Guillaume Fouquet de la Varenne. The site is remembered for withstanding three years of siege by William the Conqueror, the only fortified place he never managed to seize.
Adult €4Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château de Laval (Laval Castle)
Laval
In Laval, on a rocky spur above the Mayenne river, the castle stands on the very site where the town was founded in the 11th century by Guy de Dénéré.
Adult €6Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Castle of Lassay
Lassay-les-Châteaux
A fortress from the 15th century rises in Lassay-les-Châteaux, a commune of the Mayenne department, its irregular octagonal plan flanked by eight towers, two of which frame the entrance gatehouse.
Adult €8Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château de la Motte-Husson (Motte-Husson Castle)
Martigné-sur-Mayenne
The Château de la Motte-Husson stands in Martigné-sur-Mayenne, on the site of a medieval motte and a 15th-century stronghold. The present building, in neo-Renaissance style, was erected between 1868 and 1874 and is notable for its two pepper-pot towers and double-ramp entrance steps.
No. 5
Château de Craon (Craon Castle)
Craon
Built at the end of the 18th century for the Marquis d'Armaillé, Craon castle combines a neoclassical tuffeau-stone façade with interiors largely reworked during the Belle Époque.
No. 6
Mayenne's Castle
Mayenne
Standing on a rocky spur above the Mayenne river, this castle holds rare remains of a 10th-century Carolingian palace, uncovered during excavations that began in 1993. The site reflects a long military history, from a residence of the barons of Mayenne to a garrison castle and later a prison, before becoming an…
No. 7
Château de Noirieux (Noirieux Castle)
Bierné-les-Villages
Noirieux Castle, built in the 1740s in Mayenne, exemplifies the architectural transition between classical forms and the lighter styles of the eighteenth century.
No. 8
Château de Bourgon (Bourgon Castle)
Montsûrs
The Château de Bourgon stands in Montsûrs, in the Mayenne department, on a site occupied since the Middle Ages and largely rebuilt in the 15th century. Visitors find a complete castle complex: main house, chapel, 18th century outbuildings and gardens laid out on the same plots as in the 16th and 17th centuries.
No. 9
Château de Linières (Linières Castle)
Val-du-Maine
In Val-du-Maine, in the Mayenne department, the Linières château shows its main building flanked by four pavilions, set on a platform ringed by moats.
No. 10
Château de Fresnay (Fresnay Castle)
Le Bourgneuf-la-Forêt
The Château de Fresnay stands just over a kilometre north of Le Bourgneuf-la-Forêt, in the Mayenne department. Its presence goes back a long way, appearing on old maps and in the notes of past geographers, a mark of its lasting place in the local landscape. It is currently listed as a historic monument (inscription).
Every castle in Mayenne (211)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Mayenne?
- The most visited in Mayenne is Château de Sainte-Suzanne, 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 211 castles recorded in Mayenne, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.