Out of the many chateaux (french for castles) that I’ve been able to visit, The Pierrefonds Castle feels the most like a fairytale to me. You feel like a character in a story, whether a prince, princess, or even a knight in shining armor! 

This castle is found in a small town called Pierrefonds that is on the outside of Paris. There are hotels in the village there, but if you’re staying somewhere a little farther out, getting there by car is the best option. (Whether that be by rental car or by a rideshare service.) At the time that I visited this, I lived in Compiegne, France and we drove about 20 minutes to get there.

The town of Pierrefonds has plently of hotel and restaurant options, and there are quite a few affordable restaurants as well! There is a big lake in the center of the town that you can go on walks around, or even swim in! They have rentals for kayaks and paddle boards if that is something you would want to do.

The view driving up to the castle is breathtaking. You don’t realize that you’re as close as you are until you turn a corner and all of the sudden the castle appears and is right there! Driving to it feels like a scene from a movie because it’s so magical.

There is free parking surrounding the walls of the castle. You can also get away with parking on the street going up to the castle for free if there aren’t other cars already parked there. When I went, I had no trouble finding a spot that was right next to the walls of the castle.

There are lots of options to get free tickets to enter the pierrefonds castle, such as if you have a french long-term visa or if you are a student. (My friend Gwilly and I who have visited the castle twice learned that some ticket-office workers count it if you’re a student from a different country, and some will want you to be a student in France. It’s always worth a try to ask!)

If you don’t fall under any of the categories that will get you a free ticket, you can expect to pay about 8 euros for entrance. The ticket lasts all day, so if you need to run out to grab something, you can re-enter with the same ticket. Children under the age of 18 get free tickets as well! The pierrefonds castle is one of the most affordable castles to visit in France.

You’ll get your tickets in the ticket office which doubles as the gift shop. There are a lot of options for fun souvenirs there. I got a 0 Euro Banknote while I was there cause I thought it was cool! 

There are two different pathways that you can take from the ticket office to the castle. There’s a shorter, slightly more steep one, and a longer one that is less so. Both of the pathways are not too long and not too steep, and should be easy for anyone visiting. There are signs which tell you which one is which as well. 

We took the short one up to the castle and then took the longer one on our way down. The longer one was a lot more scenic and definitely more worthwhile than the shorter path, in my opinion, but if you are in a rush the short path could also be a good option. I went in the summertime so everything was green and the flowers were in full bloom, so it made the longer path even more enticing. Plus, I’m a sucker for pretty staircases, and this castle is filled and surrounded by pretty staircases!

You then get to the castle’s courtyard, and there’s multiple doors that you can enter to explore the inside. Signs guide you well enough that you can easily make sure that you don’t miss any of the castle’s tour. 

There’s some rooms full of statues and other rooms where the walls are covered in murals. I loved finding all of the stories in the paintings that span so many walls. I also especially loved walking through the hallways, because every arch entryway to the rooms felt like a portal. 

There are little signs that teach you the history of the castle as you go, and the words are written in both French and English, making it super accessible to learn more about the history of the town and of the castle itself.

One of the rooms of the castle is filled with statues representing the different parts of france. The ones that specifically stood out to me was a mini replica of the statue of liberty (representing a town called Colmar) and another which was the signature lion statue of the town Belfort, France. 

As you tour the castle you will also come across the chapel, which has gorgeous stained glass windows. You can enter into the bottom through the courtyard, or as you go through the hallways of the castle, you get the view from higher up as you walk to the next room. I put a picture above this paragraph of the statues of some of the catholic saints that they have in the room!

A part that I especially loved was the catacombs of the castle! You go down a long flight of stairs and it takes to a long room full of statues and a crazy fun ambiance!

They keep the lighting dim, add colored lighting and pre-recorded sounds to make it even more eerie, which I loved. I thought there might be a jumpscare hidden somewhere in the walk through the catacombs because of the sounds but there wasn’t (at least for me when I was there, no promises if I just avoided the programmed trigger, haha.) 

After you reach the catacombs, you’ve made your way through the main part of the tour of the castle. Depending on the season, they will occasionally open up different areas of the castle to explore. The tour through the castle is self-guided and there are plenty of signs to lead you where to go so that you get to see all the corners of it!

Then after you have done the main tour of the castle, there’s still a few things left to explore. The gardens that surround the castle have a gorgeous view over the walls and into the town of pierrefonds.

And in a separate room, one that you enter through another door in the courtyard, you will find a room full of sketches and drawings done of and for the castle. It’s fun to see the sketches of the renovations that were done. There is also a video playing on a tv screen that explains some of the history of the castle, the story of it’s renovation, and some other fun facts about the castle and the village around it. It’s in French but there are english subtitles for those who need them. 

In that same room, there is also an interactive screen that you can use to learn more about the castle. It’s especially fun for kids, as it has a few activities specifically for them! 

Then as you walk around the castle, take pictures! It’s truly a magical experience to visit the castle of pierrefonds, and you will not regret having tons of pictures from your experience. 

Now what are you waiting for? Visit the Pierrefonds castle and live your fairytale princess dreams to the fullest! If you are in France- you have to add this to your itinerary. You won’t regret it!

Thanks for reading! If you want to read more about other things to do in France, check out my article about the best hike in the east of France.