The Château de Pierrefonds (Oise) is open every day, from 9:30 am to 6 pm from 2 May to 4 September and from 10 am to 5:30 pm from 5 September to 30 April, except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. An individual ticket costs €9, and admission is free for under-18s. Built from 1397 for Louis d’Orléans and dismantled in 1617, it was reinvented in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc for Napoleon III. It is run by the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN).
This page brings together the official CMN information, access from Compiègne, the Météo-France normals and our calculation of sunset time against closing time. To plan a wider trip, see our guide to travel to France.
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Château de Pierrefonds: key facts
- Hours: 9:30 am–6 pm from 2 May to 4 September; 10 am–5:30 pm from 5 September to 30 April; last entry one hour before closing — checked on 23 October 2026 on chateau-pierrefonds.fr
- Closed: 1 January, 1 May and 25 December
- Price: €9 (individual); joint ticket with the Cité internationale de la langue française (Château de Villers-Cotterêts) €15; triple ticket with Villers-Cotterêts and Coucy €20
- Free: under 18s; EU nationals or legal residents of France aged 18–25 (not US or UK visitors who are not residents of France); first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December (full list on the website)
- Booking: online ticket office on the official website; guided tours are booked on site, with no advance reservation
- Address: rue Viollet-le-Duc, 60350 Pierrefonds
- Good to know in 2026: the Salle des Preuses is closed for phase 2 of the restoration works; the Empress’s apartments have been open since 5 May 2026
Opening hours and closing days
| Period | Opening | Last entry | Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May – 4 September | 9:30 am–6 pm | 5 pm | closes 45 min before the monument |
| 5 September – 30 April | 10 am–5:30 pm | 4:30 pm | closes 45 min before the monument |
| 1 January, 1 May, 25 December | Closed | — | — |
Last entry to the monument is one hour before closing. The park closes 45 minutes before the monument: if you want to finish with a walk around the ramparts, do it before going in instead.
Prices, tickets and free admission
The ticket gives access to the whole monument and its park. The CMN publishes these prices:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Individual | €9 |
| Joint Pierrefonds + Villers-Cotterêts (Cité internationale de la langue française) | €15 |
| Triple Pierrefonds + Villers-Cotterêts + Château de Coucy | €20 |
| Partner rate (including SNCF TGV INOUI or TER Hauts-de-France ticket holders, conditions on the website) | €7.50 |
| SNCF Grand Voyageur card | €6 |
| Groups (20 or more paying adults) | €7.50 |
| Audioguide | €4 (Practical information page; the Visits and activities page says €3) |
Free admission applies notably to: under-18s, EU nationals aged 18–25 or non-EU legal residents of France aged 18–25 (US and UK visitors who do not live in France are not covered), visitors with disabilities and their companion, job seekers (certificate less than 6 months old), holders of the French Pass éducation, and everyone on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December. The site links to a PDF setting out all the conditions for free admission.
The « Les Incontournables » travel booklet, stamped at another partner site, also entitles you to the reduced rate; these sites include the Château de Chantilly (see our page on visiting the Château de Chantilly). The château is part of the CMN’s Passion Monuments subscription scheme. Payment: cash, bank cards, check, Chèque Culture, chèque-vacances (at the ticket desk).
Buy your tickets preferably through the ticket office linked from the official website chateau-pierrefonds.fr: other sites resell entries, sometimes at a higher price.
Viollet-le-Duc and the history of the château
According to the CMN, the château came into being in 1397: it was built in less than ten years for Louis d’Orléans, younger brother of King Charles VI, to defend Paris during the Hundred Years’ War. After Louis d’Orléans was assassinated in 1407, it passed from hand to hand; in 1617, Louis XIII had it besieged and dismantled. It remained as « romantic ruins », listed as a historic monument in 1848.
In 1857, Napoleon III decided to turn it into an imperial residence. On the advice of Prosper Mérimée, he entrusted the project to Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who delegated the direction of the works to Lucyan Wyganowski. The works lasted some thirty years. Viollet-le-Duc did not restore a château « as it was »: he reinterpreted the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with painted decoration, carved woodwork and a fantastical bestiary (chimeras, dragons). Napoleon III wanted to display his collection of arms and armor there, and make Pierrefonds a museum of the Middle Ages.
With the fall of the Second Empire in 1870, the works stopped: the silhouette was complete, but the interior decoration was not. The château became state property. During the First World War, it was used as barracks from the autumn of 1914, with up to 1,500 soldiers a night according to the CMN; their graffiti can be seen on themed tours.
What to see during the visit
- The Cour d’honneur and its sculpted facades.
- The chapel.
- The Empress’s apartments, open since 5 May 2026.
- The lord’s bedchamber, with its frieze on the stages of a knight’s life.
- The « bal des gisants » (ball of the recumbent figures) and the winged lion, listed among the must-sees on the official website.
- The park and the bridges.
- The Salle des Preuses (53 m / 174 ft long, 12 m / 39 ft high, with a vault like an upturned ship’s hull): closed in 2026 for phase 2 of the restoration works.
Three options are offered: the self-guided visit (free visit leaflets at reception, in several languages), the guided tour led by the monument’s staff (departures at 10:45 am, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm, about 1 hour, sign up on arrival, no extra charge, no guided tour on free Sundays and public holidays) and the audioguide (1 hour 30 minutes, in French, English, German and Dutch). During the French school holidays in zones B and C, tours and workshops are offered for ages 4 to 12.
The château also serves as a film set: the CMN cites the series Merlin, Les Visiteurs 2 and Luc Besson’s Joan of Arc.
Sunset and closing time: our calculation
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Closing | Dark before closing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:38 am | 5:16 pm | 5:30 pm | yes |
| February | 7:57 am | 6:07 pm | 5:30 pm | no |
| March | 7:02 am | 6:52 pm | 5:30 pm | no |
| April | 6:57 am | 8:40 pm | 5:30 pm | no |
| May | 6:05 am | 9:24 pm | 6 pm | no |
| June | 5:41 am | 9:55 pm | 6 pm | no |
| July | 5:58 am | 9:49 pm | 6 pm | no |
| August | 6:39 am | 9:05 pm | 6 pm | no |
| September | 7:23 am | 8:01 pm | 5:30 pm | no |
| October | 8:08 am | 6:58 pm | 5:30 pm | no |
| November | 7:58 am | 5:06 pm | 5:30 pm | yes |
| December | 8:36 am | 4:49 pm | 5:30 pm | yes |
In January, November and December, the sun sets before closing time: to photograph the facades in daylight, arrive in the early afternoon at the latest. From May to August, more than three hours of daylight remain after closing, enough for a walk in the Compiègne forest.
When to visit: the climate in Pierrefonds
| Month | Max | Min | Rain | Rain days ≥ 1 mm | Days ≥ 25 °C (77 °F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.8 °C (44 °F) | 1.4 °C (35 °F) | 56.2 mm (2.2 in) | 11.1 | — |
| February | 8.0 °C (46 °F) | 1.2 °C (34 °F) | 47.1 mm (1.9 in) | 9.9 | — |
| March | 12.0 °C (54 °F) | 3.1 °C (38 °F) | 48.2 mm (1.9 in) | 9.5 | — |
| April | 15.6 °C (60 °F) | 4.9 °C (41 °F) | 45.2 mm (1.8 in) | 9.0 | 0.9 |
| May | 19.0 °C (66 °F) | 8.4 °C (47 °F) | 60.0 mm (2.4 in) | 9.8 | 3.3 |
| June | 22.4 °C (72 °F) | 11.4 °C (53 °F) | 56.0 mm (2.2 in) | 9.0 | 7.6 |
| July | 24.9 °C (77 °F) | 13.4 °C (56 °F) | 56.0 mm (2.2 in) | 8.4 | 14.5 |
| August | 24.8 °C (77 °F) | 13.2 °C (56 °F) | 57.6 mm (2.3 in) | 8.7 | 13.2 |
| September | 20.9 °C (70 °F) | 10.3 °C (51 °F) | 45.0 mm (1.8 in) | 8.2 | 4.5 |
| October | 15.9 °C (61 °F) | 7.8 °C (46 °F) | 61.1 mm (2.4 in) | 10.5 | 0.4 |
| November | 10.5 °C (51 °F) | 4.3 °C (40 °F) | 59.2 mm (2.3 in) | 10.7 | — |
| December | 7.2 °C (45 °F) | 1.9 °C (35 °F) | 70.6 mm (2.8 in) | 12.7 | — |
The mildest days run from June to August (average highs of 22 to 25 °C / 72 to 77 °F), which also have the fewest rain days. December is the wettest month. The château stays open all winter: the visit is largely indoors, but bring warm clothes for the courtyard and the ramparts.
Getting to the Château de Pierrefonds
- By car from Paris: A1, exit no. 9, then D 200 toward Compiègne and D 973. From Lille: A1 exit no. 11, D 935 to Compiègne then D 973. Free parking on rue Sabatier, a 10-minute walk; four electric charging points in the village.
- By train: stations at Compiègne, Crépy-en-Valois or Villers-Cotterêts, then a bus from Compiègne station (check times on the network’s website, linked from the official page).
- By bicycle: the monument has the Accueil Vélo label (10 bike racks, repair kit lent at the shop). Pierrefonds is on the cycle routes from Compiègne via Vieux-Moulin or Saint-Jean-aux-Bois (15 km / 9 mi), through the Compiègne forest.
From Paris, the château combines with Chantilly on a weekend in the Oise. For the capital, see our guide to visiting Paris.
Accessibility
The official website lists a drop-off point and two reserved parking spaces for visitors with reduced mobility on the esplanade, folding cane seats at the start of the visit and free entry for the visitor with a disability and their companion. Strollers are allowed in the park but not in the château (stroller parking in the Cour d’honneur).
Where to eat
The CMN points to the restaurants in the village of Pierrefonds, a few steps from the château. We did not find a restaurant in the monument itself on the official website.
Common mistakes (from the visitor rules)
| Mistake | What the official website says |
|---|---|
| Arriving 45 min before closing | Last entry one hour before closing |
| Coming on 1 May, 25 December or 1 January | Monument closed on these three days |
| Bringing your dog for the visit | Dogs not allowed in the château, on a leash in the park |
| Planning to take a stroller inside | Strollers not allowed in the château |
| Coming with a suitcase or a large bag | Luggage and large bags not allowed (security plan), left-luggage at reception |
| Counting on the guided tour on a free Sunday | No guided tour on free Sundays and public holidays |
| Photographing with flash or a tripod | Photos allowed without flash or tripod |
| Expecting to see the Salle des Preuses in 2026 | Closed for phase 2 of the restoration works |
What to see nearby
The CMN lists as nearby monuments the Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, the Château de Coucy and the towers of Reims Cathedral (joint tickets for the first two). In the Oise, the Château de Chantilly is part of the same « Les Incontournables » network. The cathedral city has its own guide: things to do in Reims.
Frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours of the Château de Pierrefonds?
From 9:30 am to 6 pm from 2 May to 4 September and from 10 am to 5:30 pm from 5 September to 30 April, with last entry one hour before closing. Closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
How much does it cost to enter the Château de Pierrefonds?
€9 for an adult, free for under-18s and, under conditions, for 18–25-year-olds from the EU or living in France. Joint ticket with Villers-Cotterêts: €15.
Who owns the Château de Pierrefonds?
The French state, since the fall of the Second Empire in 1870; the monument is run by the Centre des monuments nationaux.
Who restored the Château de Pierrefonds?
The architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, at the request of Napoleon III from 1857, with Lucyan Wyganowski as head of the works.
Which films were shot at the Château de Pierrefonds?
The CMN cites the series Merlin, Les Visiteurs 2 and Luc Besson’s Joan of Arc.
How long does it take to visit Pierrefonds?
The guided tour lasts about 1 hour and the audioguide visit 1 hour 30 minutes, according to the official website; add time for the park.
Where can you eat at the Château de Pierrefonds?
In the restaurants of the village of Pierrefonds, at the foot of the château, to which the official website points.
Our sources
- Château de Pierrefonds, website of the Centre des monuments nationaux (chateau-pierrefonds.fr): practical information, visits and activities, history of the château, things to do around the monument, eating out, consulted on 23 October 2026
- Météo-France: climate sheet, 1991–2020 statistics, Creil station (60175001, 88 m), donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr
- Oise Tourisme (oisetourisme.com), « Le château de Pierrefonds » page, consulted on 23 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to the château’s coordinates published on Wikipedia (15th of each month, 2027)
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.