13 Best Castles/Chateaux Near Paris

Visit some of the best castles/chateaux near Paris and let your imaginations go wild. Indulge in the City of Lights’ distinct culture and delicious treats, then venture just a short distance to learn about the fascinating history of these magnificent structures.

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Experience the opulence and sophistication of French architecture and art by visiting these historic places. Below are 13 of the best French castles near Paris, along with some interesting details and recommendations for must-see attractions.

13 Best Castles/Chateaux Near Paris

1.Château de Versailles

Address: Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles, France

Louis XIII initially constructed a hunting lodge on the Versailles grounds. However, his son, Louis XIV, fell in love with the palace and transformed it into a château and expanded it.

After the beginning of the French Revolution, the fortress was largely abandoned. After then, Napoleon Bonaparte occupied it briefly during his coup, and it wasn’t until years later that the palace was renovated.

An oasis of French art, culture, history, and national pride, Versailles was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and is now one of the popular day trips from Paris.

The royal stables, Marie Antoinette’s private quarters, and the magnificent gardens with their many fountains and statues are just a few of the attractions of a trip to the Palace of Versailles.

2. Château de Fontainebleau

Address: 77300 Fontainebleau, France

To revitalize the dilapidated medieval fortress, King Francois I of France commissioned a Renaissance makeover of Fontainebleau in 1528, bringing in the best painters and craftsmen of Italy to do the work.

Château de Fontainebleau has entertained the likes of Emperor Charles V, the abdicated Queen Christina of Sweden, and Pope Pius VII, yet the palace is sometimes eclipsed by its more famous neighbor, Versailles.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Napoleon Bonaparte renovated a suite of apartments and a throne room in the style of the French Empire. Fontainebleau then became known as the favorite palace of Bonaparte. Spend the day in the castle and its beautiful gardens and vast woods, once favored by the nobles for hunting.

3.Château de Breteuil

Explore the picturesque Chevreuse Valley to find the lovely Château de Breteuil, located just outside of Paris. 50 entrancing wax sculptures from the world-famous Grévin Museum bring the fascinating history of the Le Jaya family to life.

Furthermore, eight of Perrault’s classic works are artfully presented within the château’s ancient walls, making for a delightful experience for guests of all ages.

The beautiful Château de Breteuil and its surrounding grounds are open to the public year-round. On weekdays at 2:00 pm and on Sundays at 11:00 am, as well as on French national holidays and school vacations, guided tours can be booked.

Free guided tours are available on the weekends for families, and before venturing through the orangery maze, kids can enjoy reading some of Perrault’s renowned fairytales.

4. Château de Cheverny

Address: Av. du Château, 41700 Cheverny, France

The Château de Cheverny is one of the most underappreciated yet significant castles close to Paris, even though its magnificence may not match that of Versailles or Fontainebleau.

Although it is described as a castle, it is more like a magnificent country residence from the 17th century, complete with exquisite grounds and painstaking attention to detail.

Comic book fans will know this architectural masterpiece from the renowned Hergé Tintin books, which served as the model for Marlinspike Hall.

The château has a delicate and elegant beauty all its own, even though it’s hardly a show-stopper. The Château de Cheverny invites guests to experience its enticing attraction firsthand, and guests can visit any day of the year.

5. Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Address: 1 Pl. Charles de Gaulle, 78100 Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

Tracing its origins to the early 12th century, this eclectic château has a long and fascinating past. Its magnificent Gothic church bears a striking resemblance to Paris’ Sainte-Chapelle, another building by the same architect, Pierre de Montreuil.

In 1539, after Edward, the Black Prince of England burned down the royal complex during the Hundred Years War, Francis I had it rebuilt and expanded. Although he was born here, Louis XIV didn’t care for it.

He updated the estate, destroying some of it in the process, creating new gardens by his favorite landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and then abandoning it for Versailles.

The castle has been renovated into the National Museum of Antiquities, where visitors can view artifacts from throughout the country.

6. Château de Vincennes

Address: Av. de Paris, 94300 Vincennes, France

One of the few remaining examples of a medieval castle in the Paris area is the Chateau de Vincennes. The magnificent Chateau, which served as a royal home from the 12th through the 18th centuries, now stands magnificently at the entrance to the city.

With its walls, towers, and the highest dungeon in Europe (at more than 50 meters high! ), the Chateau de Vincennes is a genuine example of a medieval stronghold.

This stunning castle near Paris is protected from the outside world by a pit seven meters deep, and the only way to reach it is via a stone pontoon, just as it was in years gone by.

Inside, you may explore the inner courtyard, ascend to the top of the keep, and look out over the Holy Chapel, which dates back to the 16th century and was designed to resemble the Sainte Chapelle in Paris.

7. Château de Rambouillet

Address: 78120 Rambouillet, France

Rambouillet is a quite different kind of château, yet its massive towers and turrets betray its medieval roots. It was first owned by the Marquis de Rambouillet in the 1600s and then by the noble Bourbon-Penthièvre family a century later.

They updated the interiors to reflect the ornate Rococo style of the time. The rosy decor and gilt mirrors are still there.

The huge 47,000-acre forest in Rambouillet was a primary motivation for Louis XVI’s 1783 purchase of the estate. Marie Antoinette, queen of France, purportedly thought the area was boring and called it a “gothic toad-hole.” Louis’s plan to build a cute “dairy,” inspired by the queen’s fake village at Versailles, didn’t win her over either.

Nonetheless, Rambouillet was the summer house of French presidents from 1896 until 2009, and it was also the site of the inaugural G6 summit in 1975.

8. Château de Chantilly

Address: 60500 Chantilly, France

Château de Chantilly, in the suburb of Chantilly, is a top-notch example of a French Renaissance castle.

Since Henri d’Orléans or the Duke of Aumale donated it to the Institut de France in 1886, it has been home to the second-largest collection of historic French art after the Louvre.

In addition to viewing the museum’s significant art collection, visitors can also tour the suites.  The chateau also has one of the country’s largest libraries and one of Europe’s largest stables.

Take a stroll through the vast park, which features various gardens, and then visit the horse museum (included in this ticket) and watch a horse show under the palace’s iconic 92-foot-tall dome.

9. Château de Courances

Address: Domaine de, 15 Rue du Château, 91490 Courances, France

This outstanding 17th-century château is a rare gem in the Île-de-France that welcomes guests while being a private property.

Built between 1622 and 1630, the estate was in danger of being abandoned in the 19th century until a wealthy Swiss banker named Baron Samuel de Haber carefully rebuilt it in the 1870s.

As a result of his work, the château today boasts impressive embellishments like a replica of the famous horseshoe staircase at Fontainebleau and a beautiful red-brick front.

 A 200-acre park with a moat surrounds the house, which features Le Nôtre-inspired gardens with worn statues, tumbling fountains, and tranquil water features. Explore the lovely Japanese garden in the park, where a wonderful tea parlor is waiting, as you stroll about.

Don’t pass up the chance to check out this fascinating château, which is accessible to the public on the weekends from April to November.

10. Château de Pierrefonds

Address: Rue Viollet le Duc, 60350 Pierrefonds, France

If you’re looking for an interesting château to visit near Paris, look no further than Château de Pierrefonds. Located in the Hauts-de-France region, the Château de Pierrefonds is a fortified castle with eight medieval towers and a lavish interior design.

In the 15th century, Louis of Orleans constructed this nearby Parisian palace like something of a fairy tale. Pierrefonds, like Château de Fontainebleau, went through several construction phases before being demolished at the behest of King Louis XIII.

Napoleon III, in the nineteenth century, had Château de Pierrefonds reconstructed so that it could serve as the imperial home. He enlisted the help of architect Viollet-le-Duc, who, in addition to doing some restoration work, infused the project with some of his creative flair.

11. Château de Malmaison

Address: 12 Av. du Château de la Malmaison, 92500 Rueil-Malmaison, France

The Chateau de Malmaison is widely considered to be one of the most impressive castles in the region outside of Paris. It is situated approximately 15 kilometers from the heart of the city.

This property was once the home of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, who was married to Napoleon Bonaparte.Between the years 1800 and 1802, the castle served as the official residence of the French government. Napoleon also spent his final days in Paris in this castle.

Even while this countryside chateau does not compare in grandeur to other, more well-known French castles, it is nonetheless well worth visiting due to its lovely architecture and the serene setting in which it is located.

12. Château de Champs-sur-Marne

Address: 31 Rue de Paris, 77420 Champs-sur-Marne, France

The Château de Champs-sur-Marne is a lesser-known but no less compelling example of a leisure home from the 18th century and the epitome of French “art de vivre” (the art of living). This architectural marvel, which was constructed in 1703, exudes elegance and sophistication thanks to its rococo decorations and chinoiseries.

The château has frequented the silver screen, most famously in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film “Marie-Antoinette,” although the actual monarch never lived here.

The castle is surrounded by a vast 85-hectare environment and has charming French and English gardens that call for strolls and tranquil moments. Explore the Château de Champs-sur-Marne’s timeless splendor and take in the atmosphere of a bygone period.

13. Château de Monte-Cristo

Address: Chem. du Haut des Ormes, 78560 Le Port-Marly, France

Château de Monte-Cristo may be found near Le Port-Marly, northern France, about an hour’s drive from the center of Paris.

Far from being a huge, regal house, this 1844 creation by the famous author of “The Three Musketeers,” Alexander Dumas, is a refuge for literature fans and those searching for a dreamscape trip.

Dumas regularly hosted lavish feasts at his castle, which is filled with warmth and charm.

Several literary activities will give you the chance to step into the world of Alexandre Dumas’s novels through performances of spectacular shows and comedic skits.

A stunning English garden complete with fountains, waterfalls, and a gothic pavilion by the water’s edge are just some of the attractions in this exquisitely crafted castle.