The majority of the country's tens of thousands of castles, palaces, and stately mansions can all be referred to by the French term. The following is a list of the top 5 castles in France:

1. Cite de Carcassonne: The Cité de Carcassonne is one of the oldest and most impressive fortifications in the nation, however it may be more of a walled town than a castle. The area has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years as a result of its location on the ancient trade routes through southern France. The walls of the fortress were built during the height of the Roman Empire, and in the fifth century Visigoths took up residence there. Up until the 17th century, when it started to deteriorate, the successive lords of the castle kept improving the fortress. Carcassonne became a well-liked tourist attraction thanks to the Cité's restoration work in the nineteenth century. Visitors are led on guided tours of the citadel's most intimate spaces.
    
2. Palais des Papes: The Palace of the Popes, which is situated in Avignon in Southern France, is regarded as one of the most significant mediaeval buildings in all of Europe. On the site, work on a convent started in 1252, and when Rome revolted against Pope Clement V's election, it became the Papacy's seat in 1309. Throughout the 14th century, the Palais remained the epicentre of Western Christianity. One of France's top ten tourist destinations, the stronghold draws about 650,000 tourists annually and is Europe's largest Gothic structure. Highlights of the tour include secret chambers concealed behind the 3 metre (10 foot) thick walls of the palace and murals created by Matteo Giovannetti in the 14th century.
    
3. Chateau de Saumur: One of the most stunning castles along France's longest river, the Loire, is the Château de Saumur, which towers atop a fortified hill overlooking the city and river below. The château seems like it was plucked out of a fairytale with its octagonal corner towers and mullion windows, making it the perfect vacation spot for families. The château, which was initially constructed as a stronghold in the tenth century, was restored by Henry II of England in the late 12th century, giving it its present-day bright and opulent appearance. The castle, which is now a property of the municipality, is home to a number of museums, including the kid-friendly Musée de la Figurine-Jouet, which has a collection of vintage toys and figurines.
    
4. Chateau de Loches: The Château de Loches, located in the Loire Valley and built around 500 metres (1,600 feet) from the shores of the Indre River, is renowned for both its connections to French and English aristocracy and its enormous central keep with a square design. The fortress was built in the 11th century, owned by Henry II and Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century, and eventually developed into Charles VII of France's favourite retreat. Joan of Arc persuaded Charles to have his coronation at Reims in the castle's great hall. Older parts of the château are now in ruins, but the 16th-century royal quarters have been completely renovated.
    
5. Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg: In the Vosges mountains of France, the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg is tucked away in a prime spot atop a high hill overlooking the Alsatian plain. From the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years' War, when Swedish troops burnt and pillaged the castle following a 52-day siege, it was occupied by several nations. Following this, the Château was abandoned for several hundred years and was taken over by forest. It was granted to Wilhelm II of Germany in 1899, who reconstructed it exactly as it had been on the eve of the Thirty Years' War. Because of the castle's connections to the emperor, it was fashionable to mock it when the French seized it after World War I, but it is now one of the most visited castles in France.