Staying at one of France’s spectacular castle hotels gives you the chance to imagine you’re a king or queen for a day, as well as getting a sense of the country’s rich history. Here, the Good Hotel Guide picks the best…
Top chateau hotels in France
Chateau St Paterne
St Paterne
This luxurious Normandy hotel in a beautiful Renaissance château, sits in private parkland on the eastern edge of Alençon.
From £145 per night
Chateau de Villette
Poil
In southern Burgundy, this 16th/18th-century château is run as a chambres d’hôtes, combining the best of old and new.
From £175 per night
Chateau de Verrieres
Saumur
In the Pays de la Loire in a great park, in Saumur, Château de Verrières is a five-star hotel offering old school charm and four-acres of magical gardens.
Chateau de Trigance
Trigance
Dominating the surrounding village, Chateau de Trigance is a 10th century fortress near the Gorges du Verdon.
Chateau de Mercues
Mercuès
Dating in part from the 12th century, this “truly beautiful”, many-turreted castle stands high on a cliff above the River Lot, in “beautiful formal gardens” on a wine-growing estate: the views from the terrace are “magic”.
From £330 per night
Relais des Trois Chateaux
Cour-cheverny
Owned by the Bricault family since 1865, Relais des Trois Chateaux is understated and welcoming.
From £120 per night
Chateau de Pray
Amboise
In a wooded park outside Amboise, facing the Loire, this small château was built in 1244 by Geoffrey de Pray; later, the wife of Alphonse Daudet lived here.
Chateau Sainte Sabine
Pouilly En Auxois
Located between Dijon and Beaune, on the banks of the Burgundy Canal, Château Sainte Sabine is a traditional chateau complete with modern fittings.
Chateau de la Caze
La Malene
“An excellent centre for touring one of the most spectacular areas of France.” In a large park, beneath the cliffs of the mighty gorge of the Tarn (a “fantastic landscape”), this 15th-century château stands right by the river.
From £134 per night
Chateau Cordeillan-Bages
Pauillac
This 17th-century Carthusian monastery is brimming with character, fusing contemporary design and historic architecture with finesse.
From £239 per night
Chateau de Courcelles
Courcelles-sur-vesles
This white-fronted 17th-century chateau sits amid garden and parkland, between Reims and Soissons.
From £225 per night
Chateau de Curzay
Curzay-sur-Vonne
On the banks of the River Vonne stands this ‘lovely’, upmarket hotel.
From £185 per night
Chateau d’Etoges
Etoges
A beautiful 17th-century château complete with a pepperpot tower, a moat with swans, and hens and cockerels roaming in the grounds, Le Château d’Étoges is a grand place to stay.
From £110 per night
Chateau d’Ige
Ige
“A delightful hotel in an exquisite building,” says a visitor. “With its thick, honey-coloured stone walls, it looks every inch a medieval manor house,” says our inspector.
From £173 per night
Chateau de la Cazine
Noth
Surrounded by 220-acres of grounds on a hill overlooking rural Limousin, Château de la Cazine has been beautifully converted into a hotel.
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