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Chateaupedia

The Sleeping Beauty castles

5 châteaux listed

5 castles linked to the fairy tale in France and Germany, with admission prices and opening seasons.

Sleeping Beauty was published by Charles Perrault in 1697, in his Histoires ou contes du temps passé. The Brothers Grimm published a German version, Dornröschen, in 1812. Neither names a castle: the places that claim the tale do so by tradition.

In Touraine, the Château d’Ussé, on the edge of the Chinon forest, says it inspired Perrault, and its tour brings scenes of the tale to life. In Hesse, the Sababurg, a hunting lodge of the landgraves left to decay after the 18th century, is known as the Dornröschenschloss: the Grimms are said to have drawn on it, though nothing proves it.

Other places are tied to the tale through literature or the stage. Pierre Loti stayed at La Roche-Courbon, in Saintonge, and wrote his own Sleeping Beauty there. Breteuil, in the Chevreuse valley, stages eight of Perrault’s tales in its outbuildings. And the castle that bears the tale’s name has stood at the heart of Disneyland Paris, at Marne-la-Vallée, since 1992.

This page lists all 5, with the adult admission price where we know it, the opening season and a map.

The places, one by one

From the best known to the most discreet. Prices are for one adult; the season comes from the opening periods each place publishes.

  1. Château d'Ussé

    Château d'Ussé (Ussé Castle)

    Rigny-Ussé, Indre-et-Loire

    The château says it inspired Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty; scenes from the tale punctuate the tour.

    Adult admission: €14.50Open February to November

    Opening hours and access

  2. Sababurg

    Sababurg

    Hofgeismar, Hessen

    Built in the 14th century to protect pilgrims on their way to Gottsbüren, later a hunting lodge of the landgraves of Hesse; said to have inspired the Brothers Grimm, hence its nickname. It is under restoration.

    Season not published

    Opening hours and access

  3. Sleeping Beauty Castle

    Sleeping Beauty Castle

    Chessy, Seine-et-Marne

    The castle of the Disneyland park, completed in 1992, bears the tale’s name; its gallery tells the story in stained glass and tapestries, and an animated dragon lives in its lair.

    Season not published

    Opening hours and access

  4. Château de la Roche Courbon

    Château de la Roche Courbon

    Saint-Porchaire, Charente-Maritime

    Pierre Loti stayed here and wrote his Sleeping Beauty, according to its French heritage record.

    Open all year

    Opening hours and access

  5. Château de Breteuil

    Château de Breteuil (Breteuil Castle)

    Choisel, Yvelines

    Eight of Perrault’s tales are staged here with sound and light in the outbuildings, Sleeping Beauty among them.

    Adult admission: €19.50Open all year

    Opening hours and access

The map

The 5 places on this page. Tap a point to open its page.

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Frequently asked questions

Which is the real Sleeping Beauty castle?
None is documented: neither Perrault nor the Brothers Grimm named a castle. Ussé, in Touraine, says it inspired Perrault; the Sababurg, in Hesse, is called the Dornröschenschloss because tradition sees it as the Grimms’ model.
Sleeping Beauty castles: which ones are open all year?
2 are listed as open all year: Château de la Roche Courbon and Château de Breteuil. The others open in season, and winter hours are often shorter.