The city of Nantes is off the beaten track from most of the Loire castles to visit.
But if you're willing to do a bit of driving, this destination offers a wide variety of activities and some beautiful castles with fine architecture and a royal history.
In this article, we share our selection of the best châteaux around Nantes to help you plan your stay.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
The best castles around Nantes: selection
The Loire Valley is packed with châteaux. The list can be very long.
Nantes is much less central to visit, but it's a big city with great activities like the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the "Machînes de l'île".
This makes it one of the best destinations along the Loire.
For this list of castles, we have:
- selected our favorites
- listed in order of distance from town
- limited to less than an hour and a half's drive from the city
If you want to stay closer to some of the Loire Valley's finest châteaux, we recommend Amboise or Saumur.
WHERE TO STAY IN Nantes
Downtown
Would you like to sleep in the heart of Nantes and enjoy its invigorating vitality? We liked it:
- Blu Radisson Hotel - see our article - see photos prices and availability
- L'Oceania - hotel de France - see our article - see photos prices and availability
Near the station
A train to catch at dawn, there's a truly magical address just 2 steps from Nantes train station:
- Le Sozo Hotel - see our article - see photos, prices and availability
On the banks of the Erdre
Looking for a bit of peace and quiet, without straying too far from the city of Nantes? 2 addresses on the banks of the Erdre river:
- La Rivière House - see photos, prices and availability
- Le Best Western Plus Hôtel de la Régate - view photos, prices and availability
1. Château des Ducs de Bretagne (in town)
The castle of the Dukes of Brittany (Nantes) is a real architectural puzzle that it is pleasant to reconstitute. You will cross there the dukes of Brittany, the famous Anne of Brittany, wife of 2 successive kings of France, but also Louis XIV. The castle houses the surprising and very well designed museum of the history of Nantes.
- Style: Gothic/Renaissance
- Interesting for: exterior architecture and museum
- Open to visitors all year round
- Child-friendly: activities designed to appeal to children
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
- More photos and tips in our article
2. Château de Goulaine (25min east)
15 km from Nantes, a small castle with an early renaissance dwelling located on the famous "Marches de Bretagne" on the border of the Duchy of Brittany and the Kingdom of France.
Owned by the family of the Lords of Goulaine since its construction, with the exception of the first half of the 19th century, the castle offers the little extra soul of castles still inhabited.
- Interesting for: history, architecture, paintings
- Open April to mid-November
- Timetable on the official website here
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- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
3. Château d'Oudon (40min east)
This castle is one of the few remaining between Angers and Nantes. Built at the end of the XIVth, beginning of the XVth century, it dominates the Loire, which allowed it to control the traffic on the royal river. With the castle of Ancenis, they ensured the defense of the "border" between the duchies of Anjou and Brittany. The fortified enclosure can be visited on sunny days.
- Nearest city: Nantes
- Style: Middle Ages
- Interesting for: exterior architecture
- Opening period: May to November
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
4. Château de Clisson (40min east)
Unfortunately, we haven't had the chance to go there yet.
If you like medieval architecture, the Château de Clisson is a great option. This former fortified castle was partly destroyed during the French Revolution and partly restored. It protected the border with the Duchy of Brittany.
It was built on the edge of a granite promontory.
- Nearest city: Nantes
- Style: Medieval
- Interesting for: architecture
- Closed in January and every Tuesday. Open all other days from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and in summer also mornings from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
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5. Château de Serrant (1h to the east)
At the gates of Angers, a surprising castle of great interest, which is distinguished by its constancy. Although it was built over nearly two centuries, it is authentically Renaissance, its plans having not evolved with the architects. But it is most notable for its furniture and its incredible library, the result of several centuries of acquisitions by the various owners.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: Renaissance
- Interesting for: furniture
- Open to visitors from April1 to October 31 and during school vacations.
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
- More photos and tips in our article
6. Château de la Thibaudière (1h10 east)
This former pleasure house was transformed into a castle in 1692 and completed in the 19th century by a surprising chapel. The park of the castle is said to be of the Choulot type, named after the landscape designer Paul de Lavenne, Count of Choulot. In the early 19th century, he advocated minimalist landscaping in order to serve nature and designed 280 parks in France during the last 20 years of his life!
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: 17th and 19th century
- Interesting for: Choulot Park
- Opening period: during the heritage days, 3rd weekend of September
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Visit the official website of the Château de la Thibaudière
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
7. Château d'Angers (1h15 east)
It is from this imposing fortress castle that the powerful dukes of Anjou ruled for more than 4 centuries. These 17 towers and its thick ramparts made of schist and limestone, protect today an artistic treasure, the tapestry of the apocalypse of Saint John, woven in the 14th century and 140 meters long.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: mainly 13th century
- Of interest for: exterior architecture, upholstery
- Open to visitors all year round
- Child-friendly: activities designed to appeal to children
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
- More photos and tips in our article
8. Château du Plessis-Macé (1h15 east)
About ten kilometers from Angers, this medieval castle of the XIIIth century was embellished in the XVth century to make it a seigneurial dwelling. It is in this grandiose natural setting that many plays of the renowned Anjou Festival have been performed over the past 70 years. The château du Plessis is now run by theater enthusiasts who offer theatrical activities for young and old alike.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: 13thand 15th centuries
- Interesting for: exterior architecture, animations
- Open all year round - Wednesdays and weekends only in low season
- Suitable for children: particularly suitable for children
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
9. Château du Plessis-Bourré (1h20 east)
A 15th century castle that has survived the centuries without any damage or hazardous architectural modifications. Surrounded by a very large moat, it really seems to float on water. The paintings on the coffered ceiling of the guard room fully justify a visit to the interiors.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: 15th century
- Interesting for -: exterior architecture - interior ambience
- Opening period: February to November
- Child-friendly: activities designed to appeal to children
- Possibility of accommodation: yes
- Timetable on the official website here
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10. Château de Brissac-Quincé (1h25 to the east)
The"giant of the Loire Valley" with its 7 floors and its 48 meters height which makes it one of the highest castles in Europe. As you will see, the monumental facades hold a few surprises. The English-style park irrigated by two streams is wildly poetic and offers beautiful views of the castle.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: 17th century
- Interesting for: exterior architecture, art nouveau theater and park
- Open to visitors all year round (only at weekends during the winter months).
- Possibility of accommodation: yes
- Timetable on the official website here
- More photos and tips in our article
11. Château de Montgeoffroy (1h30 east)
Of the original castle built in 1543, only 2 towers, the moat and the chapel remain. At the end of the 18th century, the new owner, Marshal Louis Georges Erasme de Contades, decided to rebuild the castle by calling upon the famous Parisian architect Jean-Benoît-Vincente Barré. The latter was one of the creators of the Louis XVI style, marking the return to classicism with symmetrical and harmonious structures. The visit of the first floor will plunge you into the refined universe of the 18th century, while thefirst floor has been entirely restored by the fabric publisher Pierre Frey, whom we love.
- Nearest city: Angers
- Style: Louis XVI
- Interesting for: exterior architecture, furniture and decoration
- Opening period: from the beginning of April to the end of September.
- Possibility of accommodation: no
- Timetable on the official website here
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Nantes
Itineraries
Visits
The best-known châteaux from Nantes
And if you absolutely must see some of the Loire Valley's most famous châteaux, the driving times are as follows:
- Château de Saumur = 1h45
- Château d'Ussé = 2h
- Château de Villandry = 2h
- Château d'Azay le Rideau = 2h10 drive
- Château du Rivau = 2h10 drive
- Château de Chenonceau = 2h30 drive
- Château de Chambord = 3h15 drive
- or see our list of Loire castles
In our opinion, Villandry and Chenonceau are well worth a return visit.
Other castles near Nantes to see from the outside
- Château des Croix 30min away
- Château de la Noé de Bel-Air in Vallet 40min away
- Château de la Butière 50min away
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
Other places to explore
Practice
