Pays de la Loire · Maine-et-Loire, France

Château de Brissac

The 'Giant of the Loire Valley' — at seven storeys the tallest château in France, its baroque façade wedged between the medieval towers the rebuilding never managed to demolish. Seat of the Dukes of Brissac since 1502, it hides a gilded Belle Époque opera theatre in its upper floors.

At a glance

Built: Rebuilt from 1606 within medieval towers
Style: 17th-century baroque within a medieval shell
Commissioned by: Charles II de Cossé, Duke of Brissac
Signature feature: Seven storeys — the tallest château in France
The theatre: Private Belle Époque opera house (1890s), still used for concerts
Continuity: The Cossé-Brissac family, dukes since 1611, still in residence
Quirk: Unfinished by design: medieval towers still clamp the baroque façade
Visiting: Open to visitors (seasonal calendar)