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🏛️ Heritage & castles

Castles, cathedrals and citadels of the Grand Est

The Grand Est has a rare concentration of monuments: the cathedrals of Strasbourg, Metz, Reims, Troyes, Toul and Châlons, the royal squares of Nancy and Charleville-Mézières, fortified castles perched in the Vosges, and citadels built along the kingdom’s successive frontiers. Several ensembles are UNESCO World Heritage listed, including Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d’Alliance in Nancy and the coronation sites in Reims. This page helps you choose according to the season, as opening times vary greatly from one month to the next.

Two kinds of visit complement each other. The cathedrals, the squares and a few major castles run by local authorities, such as Haut-Koenigsbourg, can be visited all year round. The ruins of the Vosges, freely accessible on foot, are best suited to walks from spring to autumn. On the other hand, many castles run by associations or by the département close in winter: Hohlandsbourg, Fleckenstein (apart from a few afternoons), the Citadel of Bitche, Malbrouck and Sierck. Always check opening times on the official website before setting off, especially between November and March.

What to do this month?

Pick a month: our seasonal ideas and a tip to make the most of it.

October: Last weeks of the season: Hohlandsbourg, Fleckenstein and Fort de Mutzig close or reduce their hours in early November. The ruins in the vineyards are at their best in autumn colours.

Château du Hohlandsbourg📍 Haut-Rhin Fleckenstein Castle📍 Bas-Rhin Fort de Mutzig📍 Bas-Rhin Kaysersberg Castle📍 Haut-Rhin Château de Saint-Ulrich📍 Haut-Rhin

Map: Heritage & castles in the Grand Est

Our tips

  • In winter, stick to sites open all year round: Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle is closed only on 1 January and 25 and 26 December, and admission is free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March.
  • Leave the pushchair in the car: at Haut-Koenigsbourg the tour involves around 300 steps and pushchairs are not allowed; the ruins of the Vosges are reached on footpaths.
  • For the hilltop ruins (Haut-Barr, Haut-Andlau, Saint-Ulrich, Frankenbourg), wear good shoes and avoid icy days: several sites close or advise against access in snow or ice.
  • Consider the Pass’Alsace or the Museums-PASS-Musées if you are visiting several Alsace sites in a row: Haut-Koenigsbourg accepts both (check the conditions on their websites).
  • The European Heritage Days, on the third weekend of September, open up places that are rarely accessible, such as Clairvaux Abbey or the Château de Brienne; book guided tours early.
  • The Palace of Tau in Reims is closed while it is transformed into a museum of the coronations (musée des Sacres): in Reims, focus on the cathedral and the Basilica of Saint-Remi, and follow news of the reopening on the Centre des monuments nationaux website.

All places and activities: Heritage & castles (53)

🏆Basilica of Saint-Remi📍 Marne · PlaceA vast Romanesque and Gothic basilica housing the tomb of Saint Remi, a World Heritage Site. 🏆Bitche Citadel📍 Moselle · PlaceAn imposing 18th-century pink sandstone citadel towering over the town of Bitche. 🏆Château de Lunéville📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceThe “Versailles of Lorraine”: an 18th-century château with formal French gardens. 🏆Domrémy-la-Pucelle (Joan of Arc)📍 Vosges · PlaceBirthplace of Joan of Arc, with her childhood home and the Basilica of Bois-Chenu. 🏆Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA medieval fortress perched at 757 m, overlooking the Alsace plain. 🏆Metz Cathedral (Saint-Étienne)📍 Moselle · PlaceThe “Good Lord’s Lantern”, with vast expanses of Gothic stained glass. 🏆Mont Sainte-Odile📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA convent perched on a Vosges spur, Alsace’s foremost pilgrimage site, with views over the plain. 🏆Palais du Tau📍 Marne · PlaceFormer palace of the archbishops and setting for the coronation banquets, UNESCO-listed; closed for works, with reopening announced for 2027 as the Musée des Sacres (Coronation Museum). 🏆Place Ducale📍 Ardennes · PlaceA magnificent 17th-century royal square, the younger sister of the Place des Vosges, at the heart of Charleville-Mézières. 🏆Place Stanislas, Nancy📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceAn 18th-century royal square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 🏆Reims Cathedral📍 Marne · PlaceCoronation church of the kings of France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 🏆Rocroi📍 Ardennes · PlaceA star-shaped fortified town, a masterpiece of military architecture, famous for the battle of 1643. 🏆Sedan Castle📍 Ardennes · PlaceBilled as the largest fortified castle in Europe: 35,000 m² over seven levels, high above the Meuse. 🏆Strasbourg Cathedral📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA Gothic masterpiece in pink sandstone, crowned by a 142 m spire. 🏆Troyes Cathedral (Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul)📍 Aube · PlaceA vast Gothic cathedral, home to around 1,500 m² of stained glass from the 13th to the 17th century (including the Mystic Winepress of 1625). Auberive Abbey📍 Haute-Marne · PlaceA former Cistercian abbey turned contemporary art centre, in the heart of the Forests National Park. Châlons Cathedral (Saint-Étienne)📍 Marne · PlaceThe Gothic cathedral of Châlons-en-Champagne, remarkable for its 12th–16th-century stained glass. Château de Brienne-le-Château📍 Aube · PlaceAn 18th-century classical château in Brienne, where the young Napoleon Bonaparte studied at the military school. Château de Cons-la-Grandville📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceA fortified Renaissance château on the banks of the Chiers, a little-known gem of northern Lorraine. Château de Fénétrange📍 Moselle · PlaceA horseshoe-shaped medieval and Renaissance château, at the heart of a small town of character on the Saar. Château de Fléville📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceA Renaissance château (1533) with a medieval keep, set in parkland on the outskirts of Nancy. Château de Haroué📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceAn elegant moated 18th-century château, a masterpiece by Germain Boffrand. Château de Hattonchâtel📍 Meuse · PlaceA castle rebuilt in the early 20th century by an American patron, in a hilltop village of the Côtes de Meuse. Château de La Motte-Tilly📍 Aube · PlaceAn elegant 18th-century château on the banks of the Seine, furnished and set in formal French grounds. Château de la Petite-Pierre📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA fortress remodelled by Vauban above a hilltop village in the Northern Vosges, headquarters of the Regional Nature Park. Château de Malbrouck📍 Moselle · PlaceA fully restored 15th-century castle above Manderen near the border, host to major exhibitions. Château de Montcornet-en-Ardenne📍 Ardennes · PlaceA ruined medieval fortress overlooking the Ardennes, dating from the 11th to 15th centuries. Château de Saint-Ulrich📍 Haut-Rhin · PlaceThe largest of Ribeauvillé’s three castles, with its great Knights’ Hall, above the vineyards. Château de Vaudémont📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceRemains and the Tour Brunehaut on the “inspired hill” of Sion-Vaudémont, the historic cradle of Lorraine. Château de Wangenbourg📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA pentagonal keep and ruins deep in the Vosges forests, above the resort of Wangenbourg-Engenthal. Château des Ducs de Lorraine (Sierck)📍 Moselle · PlaceA fortified castle perched on a rock above the Moselle, at Sierck-les-Bains. Château du Frankenbourg📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA ruined fortress at 700 m, with views over the Alsace plain and the Val de Villé. Château du Grand Jardin📍 Haute-Marne · PlaceJoinville’s elegant Renaissance château and its restored gardens, a setting for shows and exhibitions. Château du Haut-Andlau📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceRomantic ruins with two round towers above the Andlau vineyards, saved by a group of enthusiasts. Château du Haut-Barr📍 Bas-Rhin · Place“The Eye of Alsace”: a fortress perched on sandstone crags above Saverne. Château du Hohlandsbourg📍 Haut-Rhin · PlaceA fortified castle overlooking the Colmar plain, on the Five Castles Route. Château du Pailly📍 Haute-Marne · PlaceOne of the finest Renaissance châteaux in Champagne, south of Langres. Château du Pflixbourg📍 Haut-Rhin · PlaceA ruined medieval keep perched above the Munster valley, at the end of a lovely hike from Wintzenheim. Clairvaux Abbey📍 Aube · PlaceA Cistercian abbey founded by Saint Bernard in 1115, one of the most influential in medieval Western Europe. Commercy📍 Meuse · PlaceHome of the madeleine and former residence of Stanislas, centred on its ducal château. Fleckenstein Castle📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceA partly rock-cut sandstone castle tucked away in the forests of the Northern Vosges. Fort de Mutzig📍 Bas-Rhin · PlaceOne of the most modern fortifications of its day (1893): the underground galleries of the Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II, a legacy of German Alsace. Givet📍 Ardennes · PlaceThe northernmost town in Grand Est, on the Meuse, dominated by Fort Charlemont (Charles V, Vauban). Guided Tour of Strasbourg📍 Strasbourg · ActivityThe cathedral, La Petite France and the quays: a journey through 2,000 years of history in the heart of the Alsatian capital. Humanist Library of Sélestat📍 Sélestat · ActivityIts Beatus Rhenanus library is on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register (2011): unique manuscripts and early printed books. Joinville📍 Haute-Marne · PlaceThe Renaissance Château du Grand Jardin and its outstanding gardens, on the banks of the Marne. Kaysersberg Castle📍 Haut-Rhin · PlaceA circular keep towering over the medieval town of Kaysersberg, one of the most beautiful villages in Alsace. 🏛️ Lutzelbourg Castle📍 Moselle · PlaceThe ruins of a castle founded in the 11th century on a rocky spur above the Zorn valley, a listed historic monument since 1930. Montmédy📍 Meuse · PlaceA hilltop citadel fortified by Vauban, towering over the lower town in the north of the Meuse. Montmédy Citadel📍 Meuse · PlaceAn upper town fortified by Charles V and then Vauban, with panoramic ramparts above the valley. Saint-Mihiel📍 Meuse · PlaceA town of art on the Meuse, famous for its abbey church and masterpieces by Ligier Richier. Toul Cathedral (Saint-Étienne)📍 Meurthe-et-Moselle · PlaceA cathedral with remarkable Flamboyant Gothic work and a vast cloister, in the bishops’ city of Toul. Vignory📍 Haute-Marne · PlaceA village with one of the oldest Romanesque churches in France, below the ruins of its castle.

Frequently asked questions

Which castles can you visit in winter in Alsace?

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle is open every day except 1 January and 25 and 26 December, with shorter hours in winter. In winter, Fleckenstein opens only on certain afternoons (the Christmas holidays, then Sundays), except in snow or ice. Hohlandsbourg closes from early November to early April.

Is Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle free on certain days?

Yes: admission is free on the first Sunday of every month from November to March, during the European Heritage Days and on the European Night of Museums. It gets very busy on those days, so arrive at opening time.

Can you visit the Palace of Tau in Reims?

Not at the moment: the Palace of Tau is closed for renovation and is due to become the museum of the coronations (musée des Sacres). The cathedral and the Basilica of Saint-Remi, which together with it make up the UNESCO-listed coronation site, remain the essential visits in Reims.

Is the Citadel of Bitche open all year round?

No. It closes in winter and reopens towards the end of winter: in 2026, at weekends from 21 February, then with its usual hours from 8 March. Check the 2027 reopening date on the citadel’s official website.

Information checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions may change: check the official websites before you travel.

Sources consulted (17)

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