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Chateaupedia

Medieval castles and strongholds

4,878 châteaux listed · verified entries first, then the most searched-for; alphabetical index at the bottom of the page

Keeps, curtain walls and fortresses raised between the 11th and 15th centuries. These are visited by climbing stairs, bring proper shoes.

We record 4,878 castles, manor houses and strongholds from the Middle Ages, spread across 4,266 towns and villages. The ones with the most visitor reviews are Louvre Palace (open to visitors), Palais des Papes (a listed historic monument) and Château du Puy-du-Fou (with a restaurant).

1,062 of them receive visitors, according to their official website or their business listing. We have checked the opening hours of 877 and the prices of 530 of them, and each entry shows the date of that check. 1,100 of them are listed historic monuments, the highest level of protection in French heritage law. The dominant period is the Middle Ages, with 4,878 buildings. Each entry says what we could verify and what still needs confirming: enough to plan a day that holds together.

This page lists the 400 most visited châteaux out of 4,878. Department by department, the list is complete.

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The full list for this department, for when you already know the name.

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Frequently asked

How many châteaux from the Middle Ages can you visit?
We record 4,878 châteaux from the Middle Ages, across 4,266 towns and villages. Not all are open: many are private properties we list for their heritage interest, and the entry says so when we know.
Which is the most visited château from the Middle Ages?
Palais du Louvre, in 1er arrondissement de Paris, with 372,801 visitor reviews. Actual footfall is the measure, not an editorial ranking.
How many châteaux from the Middle Ages are listed historic monuments?
1,100 out of 4,878. Listing is the highest level of protection in French heritage law; every entry links to its official record in the Mérimée database.
Where can I find opening hours?
On each entry. We know the hours of 877 châteaux in this list, read from their official website or their business listing, with the date we last checked shown.

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