Plan your visit
Château d'Arlempdes is a window into France’s royal and medieval past. Locate it on the map, book a room nearby in a click, or add it to your travel list to build your itinerary.
About Château d'Arlempdes
Perched on a volcanic outcrop high above a bend of the young river Loire in the Haute-Loire, the Château d'Arlempdes is a spectacular ruined castle often called the first château on the Loire, crowning one of the loveliest villages in the Auvergne. Its ruined walls and tower rise dramatically on a red basalt rock, with a little chapel clinging to the edge of the precipice, offering breathtaking views over the gorge of the Loire far below. Dating from the Middle Ages, this eagle's-nest fortress evokes the age of feudal lords and the wild beauty of the volcanic Velay. Romantic, spectacular and magnificently sited above the river, the Château d'Arlempdes is one of the most striking castle settings in France, an unforgettable stop in the volcanic landscapes of the upper Loire near Le Puy-en-Velay.