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Chateaupedia

The most visited châteaux in France

922 châteaux listed · verified entries first, then the most searched-for; 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 922 castles, manor houses and strongholds among the most visited, spread across 845 towns and villages. The ones with the most visitor reviews are Louvre Castle (open to visitors), Medieval Louvre (exhibit) (374,309 reviews), Louvre Palace (a listed historic monument), Château de Chenonceau (Chenonceau Castle) (wheelchair accessible) and Palais des Papes (14th century).

582 of them receive visitors, according to their official website or their business listing. We have checked the opening hours of 542 and the prices of 270 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 323 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 922. Department by department, the list is complete.

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Every entry, A to Z

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

See all 922 châteaux in the Explorer

Frequently asked

How many châteaux among the most visited can you visit?
We record 922 châteaux among the most visited, across 845 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?
Château du Louvre, 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 922. 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 542 châteaux in this list, read from their official website or their business listing, with the date we last checked shown.

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