10 Most Beautiful Castles in France
In France, every castle is a château, but not every château is a castle. The French word can be used to describe most of the thousands of castles, palaces and stately homes scattered around the country. Many France’s best-loved castles are nestled in the verdant Loire Valley, but there are great examples of medieval fortresses and fairytale castles in every part of the country. From the romantic ruins of Château de Loches to the nearly fully restored Cité de Carcassonne, no visit to France is complete without exploring the best castles in France . A medieval castle located in the town of Vitré in Brittany, the Château de Vitré was built at the end of the 11th century after a wood fortress on the site suffered a series of fires. The castle was expanded during the 15th century with the addition of a gatehouse, a drawbridge and an imposing tower. The fortified citadel was nevertheless surrendered without a fight in 1487. In 1820, the town bought the castle for 8,500 francs and rest...