Chateau de Clisson
Chateau de Clisson
4.5
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Monday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Friday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
About
The chateau de Clisson is a multi-facetted monument. It was an unassailable fortress, a Duke's residence and a Romantic ruin. Its stones survived the passing of time (from the 11th to the 19th century) and today, they tell many stories of very colorful characters.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
317 reviews
Excellent
153
Very good
126
Average
29
Poor
5
Terrible
4
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Christelle M
Aulnay-sous-Bois, France431 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
A fortified castle of impressive size, in an exceptional location and in a village full of Tuscan flavors. The whole thing makes for a truly original, unexpected visit to the region.
If the weather is nice, take the visit with an ice cream and you get a few hours out of the weather. 🤩😎😋
If the weather is nice, take the visit with an ice cream and you get a few hours out of the weather. 🤩😎😋
Written April 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ThereseTheTraveller
Oslo, Norway308 contributions
Jun 2017 • Business
I recomend to buy the ticket and go inside and check out the museum with a guide. Amazing ruins and view of town
Written September 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sambababe
Bournemouth, UK17 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
A wonderful castle which was cheap to visit and gave amazing views over the beautiful clisson rooftops!
Written August 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iweinvanaalst
Lille, Belgium599 contributions
Jun 2021
Visitors should be aware that currently major conservation works are carried out at Clisson castle, causing the entire upper court and its barbican to be closed off to visitors. Therefore only the lower court and the “bastion des ormes” are accessible. Management hope to reopen the fenced off areas by the end of 2021.
Visitors should also be aware that there are no information panels inside the castle and there is neither information leaflet nor guidebook. Therefore it is imperative to participate in a guided tour if you want to know what you are looking at. Check the timetable in advance on the website.
I had the chance to be shown around by the lead historian of the site one on one. Our tour lasted about 75 minutes and my guide proved very friendly, knowledgeable and open to questions. She detailed the history of the castle, linked up with key events in the history of the duchy of Brittany and portrayed the layout and architectural evolution of the fortress.
I intend to return when the conservation work is completed and I am sure that then I will be able to award a higher score to Clisson castle. For the moment however I cannot grant more than ** stars for the edifice and a well deserved maximum of ***** stars to the guide.
Visitors should also be aware that there are no information panels inside the castle and there is neither information leaflet nor guidebook. Therefore it is imperative to participate in a guided tour if you want to know what you are looking at. Check the timetable in advance on the website.
I had the chance to be shown around by the lead historian of the site one on one. Our tour lasted about 75 minutes and my guide proved very friendly, knowledgeable and open to questions. She detailed the history of the castle, linked up with key events in the history of the duchy of Brittany and portrayed the layout and architectural evolution of the fortress.
I intend to return when the conservation work is completed and I am sure that then I will be able to award a higher score to Clisson castle. For the moment however I cannot grant more than ** stars for the edifice and a well deserved maximum of ***** stars to the guide.
Written July 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MikeyG53
Emersons Green, UK5,471 contributions
Aug 2019
My French friend and I decided to visit the Château de Clisson late in the afternoon whilst we were staying at the picturesque town of Clisson on La Sèvre Nantaise. This area is famous for its ‘Sèvre et Maine’ Muscadet wine and the town and its environs host many producers.
Our visit to the Château involved climbing a significant number of steps, as we started our journey from the river. The Château can also be approached from Clisson town centre, which is almost at the same level as the Château. So if you start your visit from the river you have a bit of a climb, and I would suggest the slower and more interesting climb via the town centre is better than via flights of steps.
The Château was due to close at 18:00 and it was already 17:15, but the cost to enter was only 3€ each so we decided to pay and enjoy a quick visit.
The Château itself is mainly ruins, but there were a number of different buildings and visitors were provided with information to make the visit interesting. The Château retains elements of being built over a number of centuries from the 11th to 15th century with some sections reworked over that time. The Château was abandoned by its owners in the late 18th Century and whilst it is now just a ruin it still provides good interest to the visitor with many very good opportunities to view different vistas of the town and wider countryside.
Our visit to the Château involved climbing a significant number of steps, as we started our journey from the river. The Château can also be approached from Clisson town centre, which is almost at the same level as the Château. So if you start your visit from the river you have a bit of a climb, and I would suggest the slower and more interesting climb via the town centre is better than via flights of steps.
The Château was due to close at 18:00 and it was already 17:15, but the cost to enter was only 3€ each so we decided to pay and enjoy a quick visit.
The Château itself is mainly ruins, but there were a number of different buildings and visitors were provided with information to make the visit interesting. The Château retains elements of being built over a number of centuries from the 11th to 15th century with some sections reworked over that time. The Château was abandoned by its owners in the late 18th Century and whilst it is now just a ruin it still provides good interest to the visitor with many very good opportunities to view different vistas of the town and wider countryside.
Written August 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elsandra R
88 contributions
Sep 2016 • Family
Love the castle, the little town was beautiful, amazing experience to walk and see all the little shops, I really enjoyed.
Written August 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
barbara c
Funchal, Portugal45 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This is a very nice medieval castle/fortress in ruins. You can roam freely and let your imagination fly to the times of formation of Brittanny. I just loved the the stunning views of Clisson from its top. Entrance is cheap and I think it is mandatory to go there while in Clisson
Written August 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Escutcheon
Pouance, France552 contributions
Oct 2011 • Family
The Château de Clisson is a castle in the commune of Clisson in the Loire-Atlantique département of France. Situated on the right bank of the Sèvre Nantaise at the crossroads for Anjou and Poitou, it was one of the great fortified places on the frontiers of the Duchy of Brittany. Clisson an impressive, red-roofed Italiante town.
It is vast so take your time exploring its nooks and crannies. It’s off the rue des Menago and/or the rue Berthou, up the hill (they often are!).
47°05’12.51N 1°16’54.18W
History
The first Lords of Clisson occupied the site from the 11th century. They are mentioned for the first time in 1040. Clisson was then the seat of a powerful châtellenie covering 23 parishes.
Since its construction in the 13th century by Guillaume de Clisson, Olivier III de Clisson incorporated the gatehouse into a massive quadrilangular keep in the 14th century and a century later the fortifications were modernised to permit the use of artillery. In the second half of the century, the former entrance was modified and the curtain wall was extended and completed by a barbican. At the same time, the castle was enlarged to the west with a new rectangular enclosure nearly 100 m long, armed with towers with artillery casemates. After 1420, the castle became the property of the Duke of Brittany and was one of the favourite residences of Duke Francis II who was remarried there, to Marguerite de Foix in 1474. He built a second rectangular enceinte flanked by artillery towers.
Around 1590 the French Wars of Religion necessitated the construction of three terraced bastions on the south, giving three lines of defence in depth to protect the site. Until the 17th century, the castle was the residence of the Avaugour family, descendants of François Ier d'Avaugour, illegitimate son of François II. He modified and transformed the castle to suit the tastes and fashions of the day. During the War in the Vendée, the town and its castle were burned by the Infernal columns of Jean-Baptiste Kléber. In 1807, the estate was bought by the sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot The ruins were classified as a monument historique in 1924 and in 1962, it was sold to the Conseil général of the Loire-Atlantique, who carried out important restoration works with the assistance of the French Ministry of Culture, the results of which we see today.
It is truly vast and needs a good hour or two (more if you love exploring old castles) to fully appreciate it.
It is vast so take your time exploring its nooks and crannies. It’s off the rue des Menago and/or the rue Berthou, up the hill (they often are!).
47°05’12.51N 1°16’54.18W
History
The first Lords of Clisson occupied the site from the 11th century. They are mentioned for the first time in 1040. Clisson was then the seat of a powerful châtellenie covering 23 parishes.
Since its construction in the 13th century by Guillaume de Clisson, Olivier III de Clisson incorporated the gatehouse into a massive quadrilangular keep in the 14th century and a century later the fortifications were modernised to permit the use of artillery. In the second half of the century, the former entrance was modified and the curtain wall was extended and completed by a barbican. At the same time, the castle was enlarged to the west with a new rectangular enclosure nearly 100 m long, armed with towers with artillery casemates. After 1420, the castle became the property of the Duke of Brittany and was one of the favourite residences of Duke Francis II who was remarried there, to Marguerite de Foix in 1474. He built a second rectangular enceinte flanked by artillery towers.
Around 1590 the French Wars of Religion necessitated the construction of three terraced bastions on the south, giving three lines of defence in depth to protect the site. Until the 17th century, the castle was the residence of the Avaugour family, descendants of François Ier d'Avaugour, illegitimate son of François II. He modified and transformed the castle to suit the tastes and fashions of the day. During the War in the Vendée, the town and its castle were burned by the Infernal columns of Jean-Baptiste Kléber. In 1807, the estate was bought by the sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot The ruins were classified as a monument historique in 1924 and in 1962, it was sold to the Conseil général of the Loire-Atlantique, who carried out important restoration works with the assistance of the French Ministry of Culture, the results of which we see today.
It is truly vast and needs a good hour or two (more if you love exploring old castles) to fully appreciate it.
Written May 11, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for taking time to write a review and to post your very nice pictures ! I am delighted that you enjoyed your visit. Hope to see you again, maybe in the others places of Grand Patrimoine de Loire-Atlantique like the castle of Châteaubriant? After a restoration phase of several years, its beautiful keep is now open to visitors ! Check our website get informations about it on : grand-patrimoine.loire-atlantique.fr !
Kind Regards,
Pauline
Written December 16, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Iweinvanaalst
Lille, Belgium599 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Clisson castle started around 1060 as a motte and bailey on a rocky outcrop above the confluence two rivers in the south east of the duchy of Brittany. At the start of the twelfth century the wooden structures were replaced by a stone curtain wall and tower.
At the start of the thirteenth century the defences of the stronghold were significantly strenghtened by the addition of a defensive tower near the gate, a barbican and a twin towered gatebuilding. Finally, in the fourteenth century a twin towered keep was erected.
In 1420 Clisson castled was confiscated by the duke of Britanny.
In 1466 duke Francis II tripled the surface of the fortress by adding a monumental gate and curtain wall, two bastions and two cannon towers. He also ordered the construction of state appartments, kitchens, a study and a chapel.
In decay since the seventeenth century Clisson castle received the final blow when it was set alight by retreating revolutionary soldiers during the French Revolution.
*
Visitors can discover Clisson castle with the help of an excellent guidebook. However I strongly recommend participating in the one hour guided tour. Our guide summarised the architectural evolution of the stronghold and the history of its lords. He commented on the defences and on life in the castle.
There are no information panels inside the castle. Its towers are lacking floors and the curtain wall can only be scaled in the area of the cannon towers.
Enjoy a picknick in the grounds and bring your camera because the ruins are very picturesque.
At the start of the thirteenth century the defences of the stronghold were significantly strenghtened by the addition of a defensive tower near the gate, a barbican and a twin towered gatebuilding. Finally, in the fourteenth century a twin towered keep was erected.
In 1420 Clisson castled was confiscated by the duke of Britanny.
In 1466 duke Francis II tripled the surface of the fortress by adding a monumental gate and curtain wall, two bastions and two cannon towers. He also ordered the construction of state appartments, kitchens, a study and a chapel.
In decay since the seventeenth century Clisson castle received the final blow when it was set alight by retreating revolutionary soldiers during the French Revolution.
*
Visitors can discover Clisson castle with the help of an excellent guidebook. However I strongly recommend participating in the one hour guided tour. Our guide summarised the architectural evolution of the stronghold and the history of its lords. He commented on the defences and on life in the castle.
There are no information panels inside the castle. Its towers are lacking floors and the curtain wall can only be scaled in the area of the cannon towers.
Enjoy a picknick in the grounds and bring your camera because the ruins are very picturesque.
Written July 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mellski
Sheffield, UK162 contributions
Aug 2022
We were so impressed with Clisson, it's charming, picturesque, and wasn't too busy for a peak season visit. The chateau is stunning, great views, and plenty to explore for an hour or so.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grand Patrimoin... d
Nantes, France
Bonjour,
L'entrée au château est de 3€ en tarif plein, 2€ en tarif réduit (14-18 ans, étudiants, demandeurs d'emploi, groupe à partir de 15 personnes). L'entrée est gratuite pour les moins de 14 ans accompagnés, les visiteurs en situation de handicap, les journalistes, les spécialistes du patrimoine et les professionnels du tourisme.
Si vous le souhaitez, vous pouvez aussi vous inscrire aux visites guidées, qui ont lieu à 11h, 14h30 et 16h pour 3€ de plus en tarif plein, 2€ en tarif réduit.
Bien cordialement,
Pauline
Written August 11, 2015
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