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Chateaupedia

The most visited châteaux in France

784 châteaux listed · verified entries first, then the most visited; alphabetical index at the bottom of the page

The ones everyone knows, ranked by actual footfall. Expect crowds in July and August, and check the hours before you set off.

We record 784 castles, manor houses and strongholds among the most visited, spread across 728 towns and villages. The ones with the most visitor reviews are Medieval Louvre (exhibit) (open to visitors), Louvre Castle (374,309 reviews), Louvre Palace (a listed historic monument), Château du Puy-du-Fou (with a restaurant) and Palais des Papes (14th century).

365 of them receive visitors, according to their official website or their business listing. We have checked the opening hours of 342 and the prices of 169 of them, and each entry shows the date of that check. 224 of them are listed historic monuments, the highest level of protection in French heritage law. The dominant period is the Middle Ages, with 313 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 784. Department by department, the list is complete.

Narrow this list

Every entry, A to Z

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

See all 784 châteaux in the Explorer

Frequently asked

How many châteaux among the most visited can you visit?
We record 784 châteaux among the most visited, across 728 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 among the most visited?
Louvre médiéval, in Paris, with 374,309 visitor reviews. Actual footfall is the measure, not an editorial ranking.
How many châteaux among the most visited are listed historic monuments?
224 out of 784. 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 342 châteaux in this list, read from their official website or their business listing, with the date we last checked shown.

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