Château de Carrouges, Carrouges

A 14th-century fortress built on marshy ground in 1367 by Jean IV de Carrouges, this castle remained in the Le Veneur family for nearly 500 years before the French state acquired it in 1936. The pink brick and granite structure features a Renaissance gatehouse (1505-1533), a 17th-century parade apartment with Italian-influenced painted decor, and one of Europe's rarest hunting room collections. The 10-hectare park, inner courtyard, and ground-floor hunting rooms can be visited free of charge.