“Witches” In our collective imagination, the very word conjures up evil old women of childhood lore. But for many centuries, it has also referred to very real women who, in the Middle Ages and in modern times, were accused of conjuring evil forces and casting spells on innocent people. They were hunted down for these crimes and were tortured mercilessly.
Historians estimate that there were between 110,000 and 120,000 witch trials throughout Europe, and in the modern era, while the most conservative estimates put the number of victims at between 60,000 and 90,000 – two-thirds of whom were women.
Contrary to popular belief, the peak of the witch-hunt did not occur in the Middle Ages, but between 1550 and 1700. In other words, the 17th century, which was known for giving birth to rationalism and developing a reasoned approach to the world through mathematics – the century of Descartes and Galileo – was traversed by one of the greatest crises in Western thought, following a movement that began in the Middle Ages and reached fever pitch during the Renaissance.
Germany, Switzerland, France, Northern Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, and England were all at the heart of this tragedy.
Château des ducs de Bretagne, 4 Pl. Marc Elder, 44000 Nantes
How to get there?
Parking(s) nearby: Parking Baco-LU 1 côté gare, Parking Gare Château, Parking Feydeau, Parking Decré-Bouffay, Parking Baco-LU 2 côté CHU
Public transport: Duchesse Anne - Château, Lieu Unique, Monteil
Self-service bicycles: Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Duchesse anne (n°49), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Château (n°50), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Lieu unique (n°61), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Baco (n°52), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Strasbourg (n°3), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Verdun (n°48), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Foch (n°32), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Bouffay (n°20), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Gare de nantes nord (n°60), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Moulin (n°4)
T. 0 811 46 46 44 (Service 0,05 €/min + prix d’appel)
T. +33 2 51 17 49 48 (depuis l'étranger / from abroad)
Website
Closed today.
From february 7th 2026 to june 28th 2026
from 10h00 to 18h00 on tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, sunday
Open from 10am to 6pm, closed on Mondays
1 July to 31 August: 10am to 7pm, 7 days a week
Annual site closures
1 January, 1 May, 1 November, 25 December
Free for PASS Nantes holders
Book PASS Nantes
Free for Pass Nantes or an annual museum pass holders.
Pass Musées : 15 € (valid one year from date to date the 5 metropolitan museums)
Free on the first Sunday of each month, except July and August.
Entry ticket to the museum and the temporary exhibitions valid for one day.
Admission fee : 8€ full / 5€ reduced / free under age 18.
Accessible to all, with or without disabilities.
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne has been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap label for 4 types of disability (visual, auditory, motor and intellectual).
Further information