All the practical information you need to plan your visit

The Essentials

Opening Hours Guided Tours Tours with dramatized narration VIP Tour Light Shows Prices Languages Parking Accessibility Pets Picnic Downloads Labels

Open to the public,
from Saturday, March 28, to Sunday, September 27, 2026

Free Admission: You can access the following areas for free:

  • Museum of Art and Folk Traditions (admission to the Museum of Art and Folk Traditions is included in the ticket for the gardens and the château),
  • Temporary exhibitions for the season (in the courtyard of the gift shop and at La Volière restaurant),
  • Store,
  • La Volière Restaurant.

Admission Fee: An admission ticket is required to enter the Gardens and the Château. Several options are available:

• Guided Tours of Château Tours of château interior château guided. We strongly recommend that you call us at +33 2 48 63 02 88 to check the departure times on the day of your visit.

• Guided Tours of the Gardens: Guided tours of the gardens are available. We strongly recommend that you call us at +33 2 48 63 02 88 to confirm the departure times on the day of your visit.

• Garden Tour: You can also explore the gardens on your own. Please check the hours in advance.

• Special tickets: A VIP tour is also available (see the dedicated tab for more details).

Dates and Times

From Saturday, March 28, to Sunday, April 26: Everyday except Tuesdays, weekends, and/or holidays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.* without a break

Monday, April 27, through Sunday, August 30: Every day, including weekends and/or holidays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.* without interruption

Monday, August 31, through Sunday, September 27: Every day except Tuesdays, weekends, and/or holidays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.* without a break

Sunday, September 20: Special opening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.* for the European Heritage Days

    * last access 30 minutes before château closes

    Guided tours (approx. 1 hour 15 minutes), 2026 season :

    These schedules are subject to change; we recommend that you call +33 2 48 63 02 88 to confirm the departure times for your visit.

    For guided tours of the gardens, see below.

    March 28 through April 26:

    • Weekdays (except Tuesdays, when we are closed): 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    • Saturday and Sunday: 10 :30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    April 27 through August 30:

    • Every day: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    August 31 through September 27:

    • Weekdays (except Tuesdays, when we are closed): 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    • Saturday and Sunday: 10 :30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    Guided Tours of the Gardens

    May, June, and September:

    • Every Saturday and Sunday: 10 :30 a.m.

    July and August*:

    • July 14, July 22, July 25, August 9, and August 26: 10 :30 a.m.
      * Reservations are recommended for garden tours; this helps us with planning: 02 48 63 02 88

    Since 2023, the Château tour guides Château created dramatized tours for children. Click on the following tab to view the schedule and details.

    Schedule of dramatized tours for children :

    These hours are subject to change; please feel free to call +33 2 48 63 02 88 to verify the information.

    March, April, and September*:

    • Every Saturday and Sunday: 3 :30 p.m.

    May through August*:

    • Every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday: 3:00 p.m.
    * A minimum of 5 children is required for the theatrical tour. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, our guides will provide a classic guided tour.
    The team of guides invites you to book your theatrical tour by calling the Château reception desk on +33 2 48 63 02 88.

      A unique experience: the PRIVILEGED TOUR (duration: approximately 2 hours)

      Be the privileged guests of the château for an evening visit during which you, as a couple or in a group, will discover the history of the château, its family and its anecdotes...

      Next date: Contact us

      Read more

      Tell us what you'd like to see, and we'll put together a personalized tour for you... From the Logis renaissance to the Salon Colbert, from the Chapel to the Carthusian monasteries and the Rose Garden, each place will reveal its secrets. We'll extend this exceptional experience with a welcome drink at the end of your visit.

      • A 1-hour-and-30-minute guided tour tailored to your preferences,

      • Exclusive access to gardens usually closed to the public,

      • Tasting a glass ( Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil cuvée),

      • You can continue your evening by making a dinner reservation at La Volière, Château restaurant.

      • Tour in French (English subject to availability).

      • Total duration of the service: 2 hours

      By reservation only: 

      • Quotes available upon request,
      • Validity: during the season,
      • Departure at 6:30 p.m.

      For information and reservations, please contact us by phone at: +33 2 48 63 02 88

      🌙 Jardins & Château illuminés – Les jeudis soir

      Tous les jeudis* de juillet et août 2026, vous pouvez déambuler dans la haute cour du château, le parc et les jardins… profiter des jardins et de la fraîcheur nocturne.
      Possibilité de pique-niquer sur place.

      Prolongez le plaisir en choisissant la formule ✨« Instant magique »✨ : champagne à la bougie dans l’endroit de votre choix dans les jardins.

      Terms of Access

      Evening ticket office: open from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. — doors close at 11:30 p.m.
      (The daytime ticket office closes at 6:30 p.m. Evening visitors are welcomed separately.)

      Price: €11 — self-guided tour of the gardens.

      Formule « INstant magique » : 50 € (2 billets d’entrée inclus)

      • Guests staying on-site (at the bed-and-breakfast and Château rentals) have complimentary access.
      • Customers at La Volière restaurant do not have access to the light display unless they purchase a ticket or make prior arrangements with the restaurant.

      *Cancelled in case of rain

      Buy my ticket

       Rates & Payment methods

      March 28 through September 27, 2026

      Guided tour*,
      *of château the gardens
      Park and Gardens Tour      OR 🌙 Illuminated Gardens*      		 European Heritage Days Sun., Sept. 20, 2026 NEW
      : Season Pass      		 NEW
      Combined Pass*
      *Guided tour of château the gardens
      ADULT* 13 € 11 € 8,5 € 32 € 18 €
      CHILDREN* ages 5 to 18,
      STUDENT*,
      JOB SEEKER*, LARGE FAMILY*      		 10 € 9 € 7 € - 15 €
      CHILD* under 5 years Free Free Free    

      ADULT GROUPS
      (20 or more people)
      Price per person

      		 11 € 9 € NC - -

      SCHOOL GROUP

      		 8,50 € 7,50 € - - -

      Visitors with limited mobility or disabilities**
      (+ one free companion)

      		 9€ 7 € Free - -


      PRIVILEGE PASS Route Jacques Cœur***
      (Pass price: €6)

      		 13 €
      9.50 €      		 11 €
      9.50 €      		 NC - -


      DEMEURE HISTORIQUE PASSPORT:      Free and does not entitle the holderto a discounted rate (simply put, after 8 stamped visits, the visitor receives a free 1-year subscription to the Historic Homes magazine).

      RHS Members
      : Free admission to the gardens upon presentation of your membership card

       

      Buy my tickets online

      Payment methods on site:
      Cash, checks, credit cards (except American Express), vacation checks, culture checks, etc.

      * Student, Job Seeker, and Large Family Rates: upon presentation of proof

      ** Visitors with limited mobility (one free companion): holders of a disability card

      *** Take advantage of the Jacques Coeur PRIVILEGE PASS to visit the sites along the Jacques Coeur Route and some thirty partner sites. Get the PASS on the Route’s website or ask for it at the reception desks at the sites.

      Languages

      • French
      • English (visit possible with a guide on request or via a Wivisites application downloadable from the store)
      • Dutch (via an application downloadable from the store)
      • Spanish (via an application downloadable from the store)
      • Italian (via an application downloadable from the store)
      • Chinese (via an application downloadable from the store)

      A specially equipped parking area

      Parking under video surveillance :
      Google Maps link

      • 2 places to recharge an electric vehicle
      • 2 spaces for people with reduced mobility
      • 2 motorhome spaces

      Coaches are not allowed in the château lot, but can be parked next to the town hall.

      Closed at night

      Equipment specially designed for cyclists

      • Bike parking,
      • electric bike recharging facilities (ask at reception),
      • free luggage storage available (ask at reception),
      • repair kit available (ask at reception).

      People with disabilities

      Due to the architecture of the building, certain areas within the château are narrow, making it impossible for wheelchair users to get around (access stairs to the ramparts and the Renaissance dwelling). However, the entire park and gardens remain accessible (lawn and sand).

      For further information, please contact reception on 02 48 63 02 88

      Your pets are welcome

      They are only allowed in gardens and must be kept on a leash.

      A "doggie bar" is accessible from the store.

      For further information, please contact reception on 02 48 63 02 88

      A landscaped area

      In the château grounds, there is a special area for visitors wishing to picnic (see garden map).

      However, picnicking is not permitted in the rose garden or the chartreuse trees.

      For further information, please contact reception on 02 48 63 02 88

      Downloads

      Click to download Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil documentation in PDF format (requires Acrobat Reader) using the links below*.

      PRESENTATION

      EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS

      COMING BY BIKE

      ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

      ACCOMMODATION AT CHÂTEAU D'AINAY-LE-VIEIL

      RENTALS, RECEPTIONS, WEDDINGS, SEMINARS, EVENTS AT CHÂTEAU D'AINAY-LE-VIEIL

       

      * Please note: these documents are subject to copyright, i.e. you may download, copy and use them privately, but they may not be published in any media (paper, internet, dvd) without our prior authorization.

      Labels and ratings


      The château gardens are designated as a “Historic Monument.”
      The gardens have been awarded the Jardin Remarquable designation and two stars in the Michelin Guide.

      The site is a member of the Jacques Coeur Route and the Demeure historique,the Association of the Châteaux of the Loire Valley,the Secret Gardens of Berry,the Association of Parks and Gardens of the Centre Region (APJRC), the Royal Horticultural Society,the Friends of Remarkable European Gardens, and Buis & Topiaires International.

      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 accommodation is a member of the Gîtes de France and Charme & Traditions networks, and has won the Travel & Hospitality Award 2024.