![]() Situated 10 miles outside of Paris lies this extravagant château. ![]() Perhaps the most famous palace in France, and one of the most visited in the world, is the Palace of Versailles. * It’s not 100% sure that King Louis VII built the first elements of Fontainebleau (perhaps it was his father or even his grandfather). If you still hesitate to visit this fantastic castle here is one more reason: Fontainebleau entrance is free the first Sunday of the month (except the months of July and August) and there are no waiting lines! This castle is also famous for its impressive gardens, representing the major landscaping styles of their periods, and the Grand Parterre, the largest in Europe and King Louis XIV’s main intervention in Fontainebleau. The most impressive spaces are the Gallery of Francis, the Ballroom and the Chapel of the Trinity, all richly decorated. The castle is a succession of elegant rooms and grand halls with amazing decoration and sometimes a rustic touch (after all it was a hunting place.). The current Château de Fontainebleau has a mix of styles, being Renaissance and Classicism the most dominant ones. Since then, the king’s successors spent a lot of energy and money enlarging and embellishing this castle and today Fontainebleau is one of the largest (and most beautiful) royal castles in France. The first castle, surrounded by a huge and scenic forest, was built in the XII century as a hunting place for the king of France (Louis VII*). Le Château de Fontainebleau is a beautiful castle located 55km south-east of the capital and it’s one of the best day trips from Paris. There is a lot to see and do at the Château de Chantilly, so plan ahead to spend the entire day getting acquainted with what is unmistakably one of the finest castles in France. The castle’s former owner, the Duke of Aumale, was a keen collector and gifted the works to the Institut de France on the condition they were never removed from the property. The castle itself houses one of the finest art galleries in France. The Great Stables are a veritable palace for horses, and today house an entire museum dedicated to equestrian art and activities. Once you do approach the château, take care not to mistake it for the stables nearby. From the Anglo-Chinese garden with its rustic hamlet of houses to the romantic English garden, there’s plenty to keep you amused for hours. Take your time to discover the different areas, each with its own distinct theme. Indeed, the gardens are worth the trip in their own right and should be appreciated at leisure. The gardens are a work of art comprising of lakes, canals, wooded areas and manicured lawns. Those who do are rewarded with a magnificent scene as they enter the castle grounds. Château de ChantillyĬhâteau de Chantilly makes an easy getaway from Paris, and yet relatively few make the trip. The following castles are located near Paris and make great day trip destinations from the country’s capital city. If you’re looking for French châteaux you can sleep in, check this post as well! The map below shows the location of the best châteaux in France. ![]() So I asked other Francophile travel writers to share their thoughts!īelow are our choices of the best castles in France to visit on your next holiday. I love visiting châteaux in France on our travels around the country, but I’ve not yet visited enough castles to make a call about which are the most beautiful. The type of French castle that inspires the imagination and evokes thoughts of how life might have been when knights and princesses weren’t confined to the pages of a storybook.įrom steep hilltop châteaux to sprawling walled palaces, France’s castles are among the best in the world. Perhaps a castle you’ve seen in a film, or in the pages of a travel brochure. Think of France and it’s likely that sooner or later, in among thoughts of the Eiffel Tower, endless vineyards, and deliciously crunchy baguettes a vision of a grand château will emerge.
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