List of castles in the Pays de la Loire

This list of castles in the Pays de la Loire is a list of medieval castles or château forts in the region in western France.

Links in italics are links to articles in the French Wikipedia.

Name
Date
Condition
ImageOwnership
/ Access
Notes
Château d'Ancenis140115th centurySubstantially intact
Château de Blain120113-16th centurySubstantially intact Remodelled 16th century.
Château de la Bretesche140115th centuryReconstructed Reconstructed 19th century
Château de Careil130114-16th centurySubstantially intact
Château des ducs de Bretagne14661466Restored Ville de NantesHouses Nantes History Museum.
Château de Châteaubriant100111-16th centuryIntact Medieval castle remodelled as Renaissance château.
Château de Clisson120113-15th centuryRuins [1]
Château de la Motte-Glain140115-17th centurySubstantially intact Remodelled 17th century.
Château de Pornic110112-15th centuryRestored PrivateRestored 19th century, belonged to Gilles de Rais in 15th century.[2]
Château de Ranrouët110112th centuryRuins [3]
Name
Date
Condition
ImageOwnership
/ Access
Notes
Château d'Angers120113th centurySubstantially intact City of AngersWalls nearly 2,000 ft (610 m) in circumference, incorporating 17 towers originally 130 ft (40 m) high.[4]
Château de Baugé140115th centuryIntact Built as hunting lodge.
Château de Bourmont140116-19th centuryIntact and extended PrivateExtended in Neo-Gothic style
Château de Brissac140115-17th centuryRebuilt PrivateDamaged during French Wars of Religion, rebuilt 1611 in baroque style.[5]
Château de Champtocé120113-16th centuryRuins
Château de Montreuil-Bellay100111-13th centurySubstantially intact PrivateDivided into rental units in 1822, restored after 1860.[6]
Château de Montsoreau14551455Restored DépartementRuinous by late 19th century, restored, houses the Musée des Goums Marocains.[7]
Château du Plessis-Bourré14681468-1472Intact Private (open to the public)Externally unchanged since the 15th century, working drawbridge.
Château du Plessis-Macé120113-16th centuryIntact Converted to house 15th century.
Château de Pouancé110112-13th centuryRuins Considered second fortress of Anjou, after Angers.
Château de Saumur110112th centuryRestored City of SaumurPage for September in the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry depicts the Chateau as it looked in 1410.[8]
Château de la Turmelière120113th centuryRuins 19th century building of same name nearby.
Name
Date
Condition
ImageOwnership
/ Access
Notes
Château du Bois Thibault140115th centuryRuins Commune de Lassay-les-ChâteauxOn site of earlier castle.
Château de Bouillé140115-16th centuryRuins
Château de la Courbe de Brée120113-16th centurySubstantially intact
Château de Courtaliéru120113th centuryEarthworks Destroyed 15th century.
Château de Lassay110112-15th centuryIntact
Château de Laval110112-15th centuryIntact Comprises medieval and 19th century buildings.
Château de Mayenne100111-12th centuryIntact MuseumIncorporates remains of Carolingian palace of c.900.
Château de Montjean140115th centuryRuins
Château de Mortiercrolles110112-15th centurySubstantially intactTransitional style between Gothic and Renaissance.
Château de Sainte-Suzanne100111th centuryRuins
Château de Thorigné-en-Charnie100111-15th centuryRuins
Name
Date
Condition
ImageOwnership
/ Access
Notes
Château de Ballon140115th centuryIntact
Château de Bazouges140115th centuryIntact Private
Château du Mans100111-15th centuryRuins
Château de Courtanvaux130114-15th centuryIntact Commune de Bessé-sur-Braye
Château de Sillé-le-Guillaume140115-17th centuryIntact CommuneRemodelled 16-17th centuries.
Name
Date
Condition
ImageOwnership
/ Access
Notes
Château d'Apremont15341534-42Substantially intact
Château de Commequiers140115th centuryRuins
Château de Noirmoutier110112th centuryRestored Commune[9]
Château de Pouzauges110112th centuryRuins
Château de Sainte-Hermine120113-17th century
Château de Talmont110112th centuryRuins
Château de Tiffauges110112-16th centuryRuins Known as Bluebeard's castle, associated with the notorious murderer, Gilles de Rais (c. 1405 – 1440).
Tour Mélusine (keep) and fortified city12th or 13th centuryFragment Town of VouvantKeep and a lot of the wall enclosure, like the last city's gate, survives.
Tour de Moricq140115th centurySubstantially intact Keep survives.
Vieux-château de l'Île d'Yeu130114th centuryRuins

See also

References