Castles open during the French Christmas holidays 2026
From Saturday, December 19 to Monday, January 4, depending on the zone
88 départements have at least three castles open during the Christmas holidays 2026. Dates vary from one school zone to another: each département page gives its own.
Dates by zone
All zones: from Saturday, December 19 to Monday, January 4
Open castles, département by département
- Gironde 72 castles
- Dordogne 30 castles
- Rhône 27 castles
- Côte-d'Or 23 castles
- Puy-de-Dôme 14 castles
- Allier 14 castles
- Saône-et-Loire 13 castles
- Charente 13 castles
- Ain 13 castles
- Isère 11 castles
- Ardèche 10 castles
- Haute-Savoie 9 castles
- Doubs 9 castles
- Charente-Maritime 9 castles
- Yonne 8 castles
- Haute-Vienne 8 castles
- Cantal 8 castles
- Loire 8 castles
- Lot-et-Garonne 7 castles
- Corrèze 7 castles
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques 6 castles
- Vienne 6 castles
- Nièvre 6 castles
- Deux-Sèvres 5 castles
- Haute-Loire 5 castles
- Creuse 4 castles
- Savoie 4 castles
- Jura 4 castles
- Drôme 3 castles
- Maine-et-Loire 23 castles
- Indre-et-Loire 22 castles
- Bas-Rhin 18 castles
- Loire-Atlantique 17 castles
- Bouches-du-Rhône 16 castles
- Seine-Maritime 15 castles
- Ille-et-Vilaine 14 castles
- Loir-et-Cher 13 castles
- Loiret 13 castles
- Eure 13 castles
- Vaucluse 13 castles
- Orne 12 castles
- Alpes-Maritimes 11 castles
- Aisne 10 castles
- Somme 10 castles
- Eure-et-Loir 10 castles
- Moselle 9 castles
- Vendée 9 castles
- Var 9 castles
- Oise 9 castles
- Nord 9 castles
- Sarthe 8 castles
- Morbihan 8 castles
- Manche 8 castles
- Côtes-d'Armor 8 castles
- Mayenne 8 castles
- Marne 8 castles
- Finistère 7 castles
- Calvados 6 castles
- Meurthe-et-Moselle 6 castles
- Indre 5 castles
- Cher 5 castles
- Pas-de-Calais 5 castles
- Meuse 5 castles
- Haute-Marne 4 castles
- Haut-Rhin 4 castles
- Vosges 3 castles
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence 3 castles
- Aube 3 castles
- Yvelines 24 castles
- Hérault 22 castles
- Seine-et-Marne 22 castles
- Gard 13 castles
- Lot 12 castles
- Val-d'Oise 12 castles
- Hauts-de-Seine 12 castles
- Aude 11 castles
- Essonne 11 castles
- Pyrénées-Orientales 11 castles
- Paris 10 castles
- Haute-Garonne 10 castles
- Aveyron 9 castles
- Val-de-Marne 9 castles
- Tarn 8 castles
- Seine-Saint-Denis 6 castles
- Tarn-et-Garonne 6 castles
- Gers 5 castles
- Lozère 3 castles
- Ariège 3 castles
Frequently asked questions
- When are the French Christmas holidays 2026?
- All zones: from Saturday, December 19 to Monday, January 4. Dates from the official 2026-2027 school calendar of the French Ministry of Education; the second date is the day classes resume.
- Where can I find a castle open during the Christmas holidays 2026?
- 88 départements have at least three, led by Gironde (72), Dordogne (30), Rhône (27), Yvelines (24) and Maine-et-Loire (23).