Chateau d'If
- Address:Chateau d'If, Marseille
- Hours:Open May 15th - Sept 20th: every day, 9:30am - 6:15pm, Sept 21st - May 14th: 9am - 5:30pm. Open daily except Sept - March when closed Mondays.
- Admission:€5
Cultural Experience, Must-Do Experience, Island, Pier / Waterfront / Port
7:17 AM Sunday, May 27
Sunny. Cool.
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Made famous by Alexandre Dumas' classic 1840s' novel Le Comte de Monte Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo), the 16th-century fortress-turned-prison Château d'If sits on a 12 sq mile (30 sq km) island, 2 miles (3.5km) west of the Vieux Port. Political prisoners were incarcerated here, along with hundreds of Protestants (many of whom perished in the dungeons), the Revolutionary hero Mirabeau, and the Communards of 1871. In 1890 the prison was closed and the island opened to the public.
Whether The Count of Monte Christo, based on real-life José Custodio Faria, was ever imprisoned there is up for debate. The records of the prison say not, but the hole Dumas described him digging in the wall is quite visible.
A short distance west of the Château d'If are the barren white-limestone islands of Ratonneau, Tiboulen and Pomègues, collectively known as the Îles du Frioul.
Latest Reviews All Chateau d'If Reviews »
You get many discounts, including free admission to several attractions. Because there is so much that you can access with this pass, it helps if you will be in Marseille for at least a day. The longer you're there, the more savings you can enjoy with this pass. Even though we weren't there for a full day, we still enjoyed this pass. At the tourism office where we exchanged our vouchers for our passes the representative was very friendly and informative. Continue Reading »
We really enjoyed our hop on hop off bus booked with yourselves via internet. Only it would have helped if we were given more specific instructions on how to find your stop. We speak English and the people in Marseilles speak French and it was difficult to find your stop at the old Port.
Continue Reading »Practical Info
Catch the GACM ferry from 1 quai des Belges at Vieux Port. To get to the port, catch the underground train to Vieux Port.
