Halloween at Les Jardins de Colette and Château de Castel Novel

Contents

1 Our Visit
2 Les Jardins de Colette — A Magical Autumn Wonderland
3 Château de Castel Novel — Spooky Fun for Brave Kids
4 Why It’s Worth Visiting Next Halloween
5 Quick Info

If you’re planning a family day out in southwest France, Halloween at Les Jardins de Colette and Château de Castel Novel is an experience not to miss. Between 27 September and 2 November, both attractions in Varetz, Corrèze transformed into magical Halloween destinations filled with pumpkins, mazes, and spooky surprises. We spent a wonderful autumn day exploring the two. The gardens are perfect for all ages, and the château offers a spookier adventure for the older kids.

Our Visit

We spent the afternoon exploring Les Jardins de Colette before heading to Château de Castel Novel for the evening. The boys (aged 10) loved the scary atmosphere and all the creative decorations, while Morgana, who’s 4, preferred the gentler fun, especially the fairground rides and Halloween crafts.

Les Jardins de Colette — A Magical Autumn Wonderland

Les Jardins de Colette is a beautiful six-garden park inspired by the French writer Colette, and each area reflects a different region of France. During Halloween, it was transformed into a colourful, autumnal world filled with pumpkins, witches, and interactive games.

There were family-friendly trails, themed workshops, and a maze. To get through the maze, you need to read the clues and work out the answers to get through locked gates or to stop waterfalls above you to allow you to move onto the next section. The Halloween event was ideal for children of all ages, offering plenty to explore without being too frightening for little ones.

Château de Castel Novel — Spooky Fun for Brave Kids

A couple of minutes’ drive away, Château de Castel Novel hosted its own Halloween celebrations inside the impressive castle grounds. With its towers, stone staircases, and medieval ambience, it was the perfect setting for frightening scenes.

This event was better suited for older children and adults, as it leaned into the scarier side of Halloween. Think of being chased through a dark tunnel surrounded by dead bodies and a man chasing you with a chainsaw, type scary! The boys absolutely loved it, while Morgana was terrified from pretty much walking in there and enjoyed the fairground area instead.

There was a food bar serving chicken, chips, waffles, and homemade desserts as well as a drinks bar offering beer and fizzy pop, but unfortunately, no hot drinks were available. They said if we wanted a hot drink, we needed to go up to the chateau, but as we were covered in mud due to the rain and the chateau grounds, this wasn’t practical. The chateau was open as the hotel and other restaurants, but not as part of the Halloween festival.

Why It’s Worth Visiting Next Halloween

Although the 2025 Halloween season has ended, both attractions are well worth considering for next year. The combination of outdoor adventure at Les Jardins de Colette and spooky history at Château de Castel Novel makes it a fantastic family day out in southwest France.

You can explore the gardens, enjoy seasonal activities, and then step into the castle for a bit of eerie excitement, all within a few minutes’ drive of each other.

Whether you’re visiting Corrèze or staying in nearby Dordogne, this is one of the best autumn family events in Nouvelle-Aquitaine to add to your list for 2026.