Among the jewels of French heritage, we find the many castles present on the territory. According to the Ministry of Culture, there are nearly 45,000 palaces, 11,000 of which are classified as historical monuments. But which are the most beautiful in France? Check out the top ten in our slideshow below.

Of the 45,000 castles in France, a large number of them are privately owned. In fact, 85% of castle owners are private individuals. Some palaces belong to the state. But for these individuals, maintaining a castle can become a daunting task.

According to a survey carried out in 2019 by Le Figaro, more than 1,500 castles are for sale on French territory. According to information collected from specialized real estate agencies, these buildings are victims of difficult succession processes. Thus, these palaces find themselves on the market for a long time without finding new owners. For good reason, it is necessary that they are in perfect condition and must now meet many criteria.

“In the Paris region, there is a prestigious clientele. And if the price is right, which is not always the case, they do not hesitate to take the plunge”, explains Patrick Besse, of the Besse agency. For the other castles in the region, the particularly low price hides a significant amount allocated to the renovation of the building. “They are legion in the Bourbonnais, former stronghold of the kings of France. But no one wants them, because there are no shops or schools nearby,” he continues. Consequently, prices have fallen by 50% in ten years for these outlying castles.

Nevertheless, if the property market for these particular monuments is complex, the number of visits to the main sites in France remains high. Among the most popular is the Palace of Versailles with its 8 million visitors. To know the most beautiful to visit according to the Civitatis agency, consult our slideshow below.