The 10 most beautiful castles in Sarthe
10 châteaux
Chosen among 162 recorded castles
What to see in Sarthe 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 de Montmirail (Montmirail Castle)
Montmirail
Standing at the heart of the village of Montmirail in the Sarthe, this castle occupies the site of a former feudal motte dating back to the 11th-12th centuries.
Adult €8Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château de Lavardin (Lavardin Castle)
Lavardin
Perched on a rocky spur above the Loir river, the château de Lavardin displays its ruins between Vendôme and Montoire. The site was first built in the 11th century by the early lords of Lavardin before becoming the main stronghold of the counts of Vendôme.
No. 3
Castle of Sillé-le-Guillaume
Sillé-le-Guillaume
Built in the 11th century on a hill overlooking the valley, next to the church, Sillé-le-Guillaume castle was the stronghold of the barons of Maine, fought over by the English and French during the Hundred Years' War.
Adult €4Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Manoir
Poillé-sur-Vègre
This manor house in Poillé-sur-Vègre, in the Sarthe department, preserves late 13th-century civil architecture built for the canons of Le Mans cathedral chapter.
Adult €5Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château du Grand-Lucé
Le Grand-Lucé
In Le Grand-Lucé, in the Sarthe department, this château dating from the third quarter of the 18th century stands between the village square and an extensive park, behind a wall pierced by a large gate.
No. 6
Château de Fresnay-sur-Sarthe (Fresnay-sur-Sarthe Castle)
Fresnay-sur-Sarthe
In Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, in the Sarthe department, stand the remains of a medieval castle dating back to the 14th century. These remnants, listed as a historic monument, reflect a defensive architecture of which only fragments have survived through the centuries.
No. 7
Château de Sablé (Sablé Castle)
Sablé-sur-Sarthe
The château de Sablé stands on a promontory at the confluence of the Sarthe and Vaige rivers, on a site fortified as early as the 10th century by the counts of Maine.
No. 8
Château de Poncé-sur-le-Loir
Loir en Vallée
Built in the mid-16th century for the Chambray family, the Château de Poncé stands above the Loir valley in the commune of Loir en Vallée. Its main attraction is the interior staircase, made up of six vaulted flights and nearly one hundred and sixty carved coffered panels, no two alike.
Adult €6.50Hours, prices and access
No. 9
Château de Chéronne (Chéronne Castle)
Tuffé Val de la Chéronne
The château de Chéronne stands in the commune of Tuffé Val de la Chéronne, in the Sarthe department, on a site known since the Middle Ages.
No. 10
Château de la Groirie (Groirie Castle)
Trangé
In Trangé, in the Sarthe department, the château de la Groirie displays a 17th century main building flanked by two pavilions, surrounded by a chapel, a dovecote and former stables reshaped over the centuries.
Every castle in Sarthe (162)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Sarthe?
- The most visited in Sarthe is Château de Montmirail, 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 162 castles recorded in Sarthe, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.