Practical information
- The bottom line
- Rates
- In the family
- In groups
- Schoolchildren
- Accessibility
- Parking
- Boutiques
- Restaurant
- Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions
- Escape game, etc.
- Downloads
- Addresses around Ainay-le-Vieil
- Labels & Rankings
NEW: tours for children on request*.
Opening times, 2023 season:
Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 30 :
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm*.
- Tuesday: closed
- Weekends and public holidays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday May 1 to Sunday September 3 :
- Daily: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, September 4 to Sunday, October 1 :
-
-
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm*.
- Tuesday: closed
- Weekends and public holidays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Exception: Sunday, September 17, European Heritage Days: 10 am to 7 pm
-
*last access 30 minutes before château closes
Guided tour schedule, season 2023 :
April, May, June:
- Monday to Friday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 2.15 p.m., 4 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 11.45 a.m., 2.15 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 4.30 p.m.
- additional tours subject to availability, please contact the ticket office for more information.
July, August :
- Monday to Friday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 11.45 a.m., 2.30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5.15 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 11.45 a.m., 1.15 p.m., 2.30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 4.45 p.m., 5.15 p.m.
September :
- Monday to Friday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 2.15 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 4.30 p.m.
- - Saturday and Sunday: 10.15 a.m., 10.45 a.m., 11.45 a.m., 2.15 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 4.30 p.m.
* NEW: a special tour for children
These tours can be arranged on request and subject to availability.
To find out more
Contacts / for groups :
It is preferable to book in advance to ensure the availability of the guide:
- Reception: 02 48 63 02 88
- or the secretariat, in the morning: 02 48 63 36 14
- or by mail: accueil@chateau-ainaylevieil.fr
Parking under video surveillance (closed at night):
Google Maps link: https: //goo.gl/maps/UXJa34v3QXuY2nkf6
- 2 places to recharge an electric vehicle
- 2 spaces for people with reduced mobility
- 2 motorhome spaces
Coaches are not allowed in the château parking lot, but can be parked next to the town hall.
Payment methods
Credit card (except American Express), vacation vouchers, culture vouchers, Clarc vouchers
Gardens :
Downloadable map of the gardens in pdf
Animals :
Yes, only in gardens and on a leash.
Languages:
- French 🇫🇷
- English 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (guided tours available on request or via an app downloadable from the store)
- Flamand 🇳🇱 (via an application downloadable from the store)
- Spanish 🇪🇸 (via an application downloadable from the store)
Picnic area:
An area in the château grounds is reserved for visitors wishing to picnic.
Picnicking is not permitted in the rose garden and chartreuse trees.
Labels and rankings :
See "Labels & Rankings" tab
* according to the health regulations in force at the time of the visit
2023 |
Castle*, parc and gardens |
Visit park and gardens |
European Heritage Days 2023 |
ADULT* | 10 € | 8,50 € | 7,50 € |
CHILDREN* aged 12 to 18 (upon presentation of card) STUDENT under 27, UNEMPLOYED, LARGE FAMILY*, PASS |
7,00 € | 6,00 € | 6,00 € |
CHILDREN* (ages 5 to 11) | 6,00 € | 5,00 € | 4 € |
CHILD* under 5 years | Free of charge | Free of charge | Free of charge |
ADULT GROUP |
8,50 € | 7,00 € | NC |
SCHOOL GROUP |
6,00 € | 5,00 € | NC |
Person with reduced mobility |
4,00 € | Free of charge | |
PRIVILEGE PASS |
10 € €6.50 |
NC | |
PASSPORT de la DEMEURE HISTORIQUE |
|||
RHS members |
Free of charge | NC |
Payment methods :
Credit card (except American Express), Holiday vouchers, Culture vouchers, Clarc vouchers, etc.
* Large family rate: on presentation of card
* Take advantage of the Jacques Coeur PRIVILEGE PASS to visit the Route Jacques Coeur sites and Route Jacques Coeur and some 50 partner sites. Obtain the PASS on the Route website or ask for it at the site reception desk.
Free and reduced rates
- Admission to the Château and gardens is free for children under 5.
- Reduced rates apply for children aged 5 to 11 (park and garden tour OR guided tour of château + park and gardens: see Rates tab).
- Reduced rates apply to children aged 12 to 18 (park and garden tour OR guided tour of château + park and gardens: see Rates tab).
Costumed tour
- More magic in the visit of the castle! Children are invited to dress up in a beautiful costume that will transform them into knight or a beautiful lady of the Middle Ages and with whom they will follow with passion the whole visit of the ramparts and the castle! Welcome knights and ladies!
NEW: dramatized tour
Learning while having fun: that's the project our guides have been working on since the beginning of May, organizing theatrical tours. To find out more
* according to the health regulations in force at the time of the visit
Groups are welcome at Ainay-le-Vieil castle!
From a richly furnished and decorated castle to its gardens and green park, you will discover an exceptional site at the Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil.
We can advise and assist you in developing your programme, for a visit adapted to the needs of everyone: tourism professionals, associations, local authorities, etc.
Reservation:
- Reception 09 71 46 01 83
- or secretariat 02 48 63 36 14
- or by email to accueil[@]chateau-ainaylevieil.fr
For schools,
Here you can find the workshops available during a "Discovery Day at the Castle" for school children and college students.
People with disabilities
Due to the architecture of the monument, certain areas of the castle are narrow and make it impossible for people in wheelchairs to get around (stairways to the ramparts and the renaissance house). However, the whole of the park and gardens remain accessible; grass and sand.
For more information, please contact the reception on 09 71 46 01 83
A specially equipped parking area
Parking under video surveillance :
Google Maps link: https: //goo.gl/maps/UXJa34v3QXuY2nkf6
- 2 places to recharge an electric vehicle
- 2 spaces for people with reduced mobility
- 2 motorhome spaces
Coaches are not allowed in the château parking lot, but can be parked next to the town hall.
Closed at night
A 100 square metre area dedicated to welcoming visitors and selling souvenirs and gifts.
On the programme, decorative objects, delicatessen, books for adults and children, toys, not forgetting a charming flea market for bargain hunters and picnic baskets for gourmets. A great way to start or end your visit to the castle, its park and gardens.
A new must-visit address for discovering the expertise of local artisans and producers, as well as a selection of products created exclusively for Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil.
Highlights include our excellent Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil cuvée, created in association with the Bourgeois family, duck rillettes, lentils from Berry, honey from the château's bees...
But also tablecloths by Thevenon, filament lamps, slate trays, a selection of Opinel knives, Casa Lopez tableware, Le Creusetcasseroles...
A shop of art craftsmen
In this space dedicated to local crafts, you will find the work of a cabinetmaker, a ceramist and a jewellery designer. Materials, shapes, unique know-how...
The restaurant "La Volière
The restaurant of La Volière offers traditional and regional cuisine for lunch under an aviary in the park facing the castle and for dinner in the covered "Lavoir".
Details
Fresh, local and French produce.
Weekly menu from €16 to €25.
Where?
"La Volière" is located at the entrance to the rose garden. The "Lavoir" is accessible via the store entrance.
Read more :
In the grounds of a 17th century farmhouse, the castle has set up a museum of "Arts and Popular Traditions".
A permanent exhibition reproducing the daily life of the village of Ainay-le-Vieil before the 1914 war.
To discover, the rural world, its customs, its daily life and the wealth of trades that existed at the time: a shop, a classroom, the workshop of a clog maker, a blacksmith, old beehives, or even the typical interior of a peasant family from the beginning of the 20th century.
Free admission.
Free admission in high season.
The Château is pleased to present its fun activities!
Come and experience a unique moment within the walls of the Corps de Logis Féodal.
Season 2023, coming soon.
Prepare your stay in Berry...
From the medieval streets of Bourges to the Sancerrois vineyards and gardens, Berry celebrates nature and heritage. Get ready for some amazing discoveries...
Other remarkable gardens...
Le Prieuré d'Orsan, Maisonnais
Château and park of Jussy-Champagne, Jussy-Champagne
Apremont-sur-Allier Floral Park, Apremont-sur-Allier
Marie's garden, Neuilly-en-Sancerre
Château and park of Pesselières, Jalognes
Le domaine de Poulaine, Poulaine
Other friendly addresses
Château de Meillant, Meillant
Château de Peufeilhoux, Vallon-en-Sully
Donkey and horse center, La Celle Condé
Noirlac Abbey, Noirlac
Musée des arts et traditions paysannes, Château du Plaix, Saint-Hilaire en Lignières
Grand Meaulnes school house, Épineuil-le-Fleuriel
House from "Jour de fête" (Jacques Tati), Saint-Sévère
Nearby cities
The capital of the Berry region, with its Unesco World Heritage Cathedral, the Palais Jacques Cœur, the marshes and timber-framed houses of its historic center, and much more.
Its hilltop town and world-famous vineyards, such as those of Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly, etc., make it an ideal place to visit.
Its ancient fortress, gold town and Gallo-Roman site.
Greenways
The Berry Canal
Labels and ratings :
The château and gardens are listed as a "Monument Historique".
The gardens have been awarded the "Jardin Remarquable" label.
The site is a member of theAssociation des Châteaux de la Loire, the Demeure historique, the Route Jacques Coeur, the Jardins secrets en Berry, theAssociation des Parcs et Jardins de la région Centre (APJRC) and the Royal Horticultural Society.
The site has also been awarded the Nouvelles Renaissances and Accueil vélo labels.
The château is a member of the Qualité Tourisme initiative in the Centre Val de Loire region and is committed to the "Together for sustainable tourism" project.
The château's accommodations are members of the Gîtes de France and Charme & Traditions networks.
* according to the health regulations in force at the time of the visit