Celebrated by Alexandre Dumas and his character Edmond Dantès, the Count of Monte Cristo, the Château d'If is one of the most visited sites in Marseille, with more than 100,000 visitors a year. Apr 9, 2012 - Chateau d'If Alexandre Dumas built this little castle in 1844 as his writing hideaway. The Chateau d'If is the island fortress located off the coast of Marseille France. The island is part of the Frioul archipelago, overlooking the central harbour. Léon Gozlan – L'Almanach comique - 1848. Its honey-colored facade, just three stories high and topped with round domes, is covered with stone carvings of floral motifs, angels, musical instruments and great writers and philosophers including the likes of Dante, Homer, and Shakespeare. Pour une simple halte ou pour une visite plus longue, de multiples activités sont proposées :… He spoke Italian like a Tuscan, and Spanish like a Castilian; he would have been free, and happy with Mercedes and his father, whereas he was now confined in the Chateau d’If, that impregnable fortress, ignorant of the future destiny of his father and Mercedes; and all … Balzac once described the duo as “one of the most delicious follies ever created … the most royal sweetbox in existence.” Everything about the life and times of Alexandre Dumas was filled with romance. Partez à la découverte du château d’If, lieu emblématique de l’œuvre d’Alexandre Dumas, le comte de Monte-Cristo. The château passed from hand to hand, suffered from neglect and became dilapidated. Legend of Château d’If In Literature Alexandre Dumas from photo display at Chateau d’If (J. Chung) Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) was born in Picardy, France and was a successful playwright and novelist. This was Dumas' study, where he retreated for hours on end to write in peace and solitude. You wander through a small set of rooms decorated with furniture, art, sculptures, and artifacts. Taken by this stretch of the Seine, he chose a plot on the slopes of Port-Marly as the perfect spot to build his new home. Surrounded by rolling parkland, the Renaissance-style château is quite small. The Château d’If is located on the island of If, which is one of four islands that make up the Frioul archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea off of the coast of Marseille. This was Dumas' study, where he retreated for hours on end to write in peace and solitude. On the first floor is one of the highlights of the chateau: a salon decorated in authentic moorish style. Demolition loomed. “Bad weather!” observed one of … Mary Anne Evans is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. The walls are decorated with fine stucco sculptures and arabesques. Dumas himself is center stage above the main entrance. It is this fictional character from the novel of Alexandre Dumas that made the Château d’If so popular among tourists visiting Marseilles. Château de Monte-Cristo • 78560 Le Port-Marly • Tél. It stands atop a small limestone island opposite the harbor of Marseille, and its terrace affords a splendid view of the port. Author: Moonik. Château d'If Off the coast of Marseille, discover the Château d’If and its unique panorama. Cont de Monte cristo idea has been realised by Alexander Dumas.. Today films and TV series ensure that his classics which include The Man in the Iron Mask and The Count of Monte Cristo (set on the Ile d'If just off Marseille) are familiar to a whole new generation. Mondays from 2nd January to 1st April and from 2nd october to 31st December 2. Château d'If History I observed that while Dumas tries to create a feeling of horror, he portrays the Château d'If as a rather benevolent prison. Château d'if The Défi de Monte-Cristo, an exceptional challenge where sporting effort joins the cultural imagination thanks to Alexandre Dumas, wanted to give on its website all the place that the Château d'If deserves: That of a historic and legendary place known all over the world! Closed 1. It was rescued from destruction in 1969 … The castle was made famous when Alexandre Dumas père, the 19th-century French writer, used it as one of the settings in his novel The Count of Monte Cristo … While the Château d’If gained a large amount of notoriety on its own, it began to receive worldwide notice following the printing of Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, in 1844. The “chateau d’If” – Dumas’ name for this charming neo-gothic castle – stands in its own moat and is full of architectural curiosity. Chateau d’If was a notorious prison in its own right but it became world famous with the publication of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo in 1844. Still attached to his home, Dumas was able to remain at Monte-Cristo with the consent of the buyer, until 1851, when he left his personal paradise behind for exile in Belgium. On the 22nd March, 1849, Alexandre Dumas settled up for the modest sum of 31,000 gold francs, though the property had cost him hundreds of thousands. It became famous as a result of the publication of a book by the French writer Alexandre Dumas called "The Count of Monte Cristo". The island of If is 1.5 km offshore of the Bay of Marseille, and 3.5 km from Vieux Port. But the most famous prisoner here was undoubtedly Edmond Dantès, the protagonist of Dumas' novel The Count of Monte Cristo. The last visit depends on the timetable of boats, information at the tourist information center, on our website (External link)or on Frioul If express. The "chateau d'If" - Dumas' name for this charming neo-gothic castle - stands in its own moat and is full of architectural curiosity. rather as the young fall in love with the moon" The chateau de Monte-Cristo is a delight, with sculpted facades on every side. and who anticipates a future corresponding with his past. • The Château d'If is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas' adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Despite the vast amounts of money he earned, he was forced to sell the château though he remained there until 1851. The intimate room—perfect for seduction—was decorated by a Tunisian craftsman he met during his extensive travels and brought back to work on the building. His rather romantic vision was for a Renaissance château with the smaller red-brick Le Château d’If as his workspace, an English-style park and plenty of grottoes, rockeries, and small waterfalls. Naturally, Dumas christened the chateau the "Château de Monte-Cristo" and the Gothic house the "Chateau D'If." Alexandre Dumas > Quotes > Quotable Quote “Dantes had entered the Chateau d’If with the round, open, smiling face of a young and happy man, with whom the early paths of life have been smooth. To escape the pressure of his fame, Dumas moved from Paris to Saint Germain-en-Laye then found a plot of land on a hill just by Le Port-Marly for his new project which was to be his ’miniature paradise on earth’. (Subject to modification. Dumas’ reputation as a literary giant suffered a roller coaster as fashions changed and it wasn’t until the late 20th century that his reputation was re-established. The writer stamped his creative soul on the building; its facades are carved with titles of his works, and decorated with sculptures of some of his fictional heroes. However, other locations have been used to represent Château d'If in film adaptations of the work. Vaux-le-Vicomte Near Paris Started With Intrigue and Ended in Glory, The Ultimate Château Road Trip Through Burgundy, France, Explore the Home of Alexandre Dumas in Monte Cristo. Reportedly, some 550 out of the 600 individuals who showed up at Dumas’s housewarming on July 25 1847 were gatecrashers. The château is delightful, a rather homely castle you could imagine living in. Flush with the success of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo (both published as serial novels in newspapers), he was looking for somewhere where he could escape the turmoil of the city, and find the calm he needed to produce new manuscripts for his editors. 7 Châteaux You Can See by Train or Bus From Paris, The Best Things to See & Do in Marseille, France, Top 20 Most Popular French Cities for International Visitors, 10 Classic & Recent Books That Transport You Straight to France, 48 Hours in Marseille, France: The Ultimate Itinerary, The Top 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France, Top 10 Paris Hotels Close to the Eiffel Tower, Enjoy a Day in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, France's Many Islands Make a Perfect Getaway. The family coat of arms is carved on the pediment, along with Dumas' personal motto: "I love those who love me." Dumas wanted a garden in the English style planted with the finest trees : "larches, fir trees, oak, birch, hornbeam, limetrees..." The area's natural features combined with its numerous springs were the perfect ingredients for the idealised romantic atmosphere he sought, and the result is beautifully stage-managed. The decorated stairs of the Château d’If. It’s a delightful château that the author Alexander Dumas (1802-1870) had built for him in 1844 after his two novels, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers shot him to the top of 19th-century bestsellers lists. He hired Hippolyte Durand, a notable architect of the day to make his dream a reality. Protestants and Republicans, plus anyone opposing official authority was imprisoned at Château d’If from 1580 until 1871. The literal English translation is the Castle or Fortress of Possibility. Unlike him, your stay at Chateau d'If won't be 14 years of unjust imprisonment. +33 1 39 16 49 49, The Syndicat intercommunal de Monte-Cristo. There are many day trips you can take from Paris, but one of the best for any fan of literature or architecture must visit the Château de Monte Cristo just outside Paris. 2nd April to 30th September: from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. 2. They were crafted by Tunisian artisans in the service the Bey of Tunis, commissioned and brought here by Dumas after one of his voyages. The monument is open Our teams are happy to welcome you safely and in accordance with the new visit methods presented on this following page. Date of experience: March 2019 Ask John Dan K about Chateau d'If The cliff-top watchtower can be seen from the ferry crossing between Malta and Gozo. After that Dumas lived a peripatetic existence in Belgium, Russia, and Italy. The park folds the chateau in a green embrace - a graceful setting. cried he (…) Alexandre Dumas (father) The Count of Monte Cristo. The gardens were to be laid out "à l'anglaise", with grottos, ornamental rocks and waterfalls... Dumas gave instructions and the estate was created according to his wishes. It is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas’ adventure novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. That's especially true of the park, where Dumas' generosity of spirit and extravagance captivates now just as it did in his lifetime. In an emotional response, two preservation groups came together to save this heritage from the threat of the speculators. Not to mention his missing such nice details as the carrying of the latrine bucket from the cell daily, about which Dumas with the ignorance of a free person says nothing. A generous host and bon viveur, he lived surrounded by his mistresses and friends, hangers-on and his dogs, cats, parrots, and monkeys. 1st January, 1st May and 25th December and subject to bad weather “The Château d’If ? The name was taken from the Alexandre Dumas classic, The Count Of Monte Cristo in which the main character, Edmond Dantes is imprisoned on the island prison of Chateau d'If where he grows and transforms into the person he was always meant to be. "People fall in love with this monument, His door was  open to everyone, including many who lived at his expense, taking advantage of his legendary hospitality and open-handedness. She lives part-time in Auvergne, France and writes travel articles about the country. It was the home of the famous French writer, Alexandre Dumas, père. The dream included a renaissance chateau standing close by a gothic castle in miniature, complete with its own small moat. On the grounds of Chateau de Monte Cristo in Marly le Roi, France. Here’s our guide to the history behind … It’s where his hero was wrongly imprisoned for years. Built as a fortress against Mediterranean Sea raiders between 1524 and 1531, Chateau d’If is still situated on its small, forbidding island about a mile from the French city of Marseille. The château passed from hand to hand, suffered from neglect and became dilapidated. It was rescued from destruction in 1969 by the local authorities and the Friends of Monte-Cristo. It was made legendary by Alexandre Dumas in his classic novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.