The Knights Templar castles
18 châteaux listed
18 castles, commanderies and manor houses of the Knights Templar, with admission prices and opening seasons.
The Templars mostly left commanderies behind: houses of the order set among its estates, with a residence, a chapel and farm buildings. When the order was suppressed in 1312, its property passed to the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem, and many became commanderies of the Order of Malta, then castles, manor houses or farms.
On the Larzac plateau, the commandery of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon was built around the middle of the 13th century and taken over by the Hospitallers in 1312. In the Var, the bastide of Astros is recorded as a Templar possession as early as 1237. In the Cher, L’Hospital-du-Fresne remained a Templar commandery from the mid-12th century until 1312.
The end of the order has its places too. In spring 1308 its leaders, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were imprisoned in the fortress of Chinon during their trial, and left graffiti on the walls of the Coudray tower. Gisors, turned into a prison in the early 14th century, also held Jacques de Molay and Hugues de Pairaud. At Ribaute, in the Gard, Philip the Fair gave the Templars’ castle to the man he had appointed to investigate the Templars of Alès.
This page lists the 18 places whose French heritage record or official website confirms a Templar past, with the adult admission price where we know it, the opening season and a map. Many are private and can only be seen from outside. Places linked to the order by legend alone, a treasure or a carved cross, are not included.
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.
Chinon Castle
Chinon, Indre-et-Loire
In spring 1308 the order’s leaders, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were imprisoned here during the trial; their religious graffiti cover the walls of the Coudray tower.
Open November to August
Château de Gisors (Gisors Castle)
Gisors, Eure
Turned into a prison in the early 14th century, the fortress held Jacques de Molay, Hugues de Pairaud and several of the order’s preceptors. The treasure said to be hidden here remains a legend.
Adult admission: €9Season not published
Templar commandery of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon
Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon, Aveyron
A commandery built around the middle of the 13th century on the Larzac plateau, taken over by the Hospitallers in 1312 and fortified in the 15th century.
Season not published
Château d'Astros (Astros Castle)
Vidauban, Var
A bastide recorded from 1237 as a Templar possession, later held by the Knights Hospitaller, who made it a commandery in 1631.
Open all year
Château de Cas (Cas Castle)
Espinas, Tarn-et-Garonne
In the 13th century its owners gave the castle to the Templars of Lacapelle-Livron; it later guarded the road from Caylus to Saint-Antonin.
Adult admission: €12Open May to October
Hours to be confirmed
Château de Mauriac (Senouillac)
Senouillac, Tarn
The castle devotes its guided tours to its Templar past.
Adult admission: €9Open April to April
Hours to be confirmed
Château de Ribaute (Ribaute Castle)
Ribaute-les-Tavernes, Gard
A Templar property, given by Philip the Fair to Odoard de Malbuisson, whom he had appointed to investigate the Templars of Alès.
Season not published
Château de l'Hospital-du-Fresne
Blancafort, Cher
A Templar commandery from the mid-12th century to 1312, then a commandery of the Order of Malta; the chapel dates from around 1160.
Season not published
Templiers Castle
Voulaines-les-Templiers, Côte-d'Or
A Templar commandery that became the residence of the Hospitaller Grand Prior of Champagne in 1335; a single tower survives.
Season not published
Manoir dit Ferme des Templiers, au hameau de Genetey
Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville, Seine-Maritime
Built shortly before 1214 by the Templars of the commandery of Saint-Vaubourg, and handed to the monks of Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville when the order was suppressed.
Season not published
Château de Cazouls-d'Hérault (Cazouls-d'Hérault Castle)
Cazouls-d'Hérault, Hérault
The keep of a Templar commandery built in the 12th century, now a guest house.
Season not published
Château de Ladhuie (Ladhuie Castle)
Montayral, Lot-et-Garonne
Built by the Templars in the 13th century and restored in the 16th and 17th; a spring rises from the rock in the dining room.
Season not published
Château de Cramirat (Cramirat Castle)
Sergeac, Dordogne
A former commandery of the Templars, then of the Hospitallers, around an enclosed courtyard and a vaulted cellar.
Season not published
Château de Viviers-lès-Montagnes (Viviers-lès-Montagnes Castle)
Viviers-lès-Montagnes, Tarn
It grew out of a Benedictine priory fortified by the Templars, and was rebuilt on the orders of Philip VI of Valois in 1339.
Season not published
Manoir de la Bonne-Aventure
Mazangé, Loir-et-Cher
A manor house built on the site of a Templar commandery, bought by the Musset family in the 16th century.
Season not published
Château de Morey (Morey Castle)
Morey, Meurthe-et-Moselle
Built on the ruins of a Templar convent, according to its owners; now a guest house.
Season not published
Manoir du Bout du Pont
Agnac, Lot-et-Garonne
It belonged to the Templars of La Sauvetat-du-Dropt; its 16th-century dovecote stands on nine stone columns.
Season not published
Hof Iben
Fürfeld, Rheinland-Pfalz
A former Templar commandery near Fürfeld, in Rhineland-Palatinate; the choir of its chapel, built around 1240, is one of the earliest Gothic buildings in Germany.
Season not published
The map
The 18 places on this page. Tap a point to open its page.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where were the Knights Templar imprisoned?
- In spring 1308 the order’s leaders, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were held in the royal fortress of Chinon, where their graffiti can still be seen in the Coudray tower. Gisors, turned into a prison in the early 14th century, also held Jacques de Molay and Hugues de Pairaud.
- What is a Templar commandery?
- A house of the Knights Templar, run by a commander, that farmed the order’s lands around a residence and a chapel. After 1312 most passed to the Hospitallers, which is why several records call them commanderies of the Order of Malta.
- Templar castles: which ones are open all year?
- 1 are listed as open all year: Château d'Astros. The others open in season, and winter hours are often shorter.
- Templar castles: how much is admission?
- Across the 3 places whose prices we know, adult admission ranges from €9 to €12.