Vendôme Castle, Vendôme
Plan your visit
Vendôme: city center
7 attractions · 4h 52min · transit route
Free
Step-by-step route with transport options and cost breakdown
About Vendôme Castle
The Château de Vendôme sits on a rocky spur above the Loir River, with fortifications dating back to at least the late 10th century under Count Bouchard le Vénérable. The site served as the seat of the Counts and later Dukes of Vendôme for centuries, and played a role in the founding of the Bourbon-Vendôme dynasty after Catherine de Vendôme married Jean de Bourbon-la-Marche in the 14th century. Henri IV besieged the castle in 1589, beginning its decline, and the residential wings were demolished after the Revolution when the estate was divided among private owners.
Vendôme Castle — Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Combine with 6 nearby attractions for a full day
Free — all transport included — transit route with total cost breakdown
The site is mentioned in the Treaty of Andelot from 587 AD, making it one of the earliest documented fortified positions in the Loire Valley. The treaty, which divided Frankish territories among Merovingian kings, specifically names Vendôme as a strategic point, over 400 years before the stone castle was built.
Travel Plans for Vendôme Castle
Vendôme: city center
Vendôme
More Travel Plans in Centre-Val de Loire Region
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Nearby Attractions
Vendôme Church of Saint Mary Magdalene