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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Monte Cristo was built between 1844 and 1847 by the writer Alexandre Dumas, then at the top of his glory after the success of the Three Musketeers. Located in Port-Marly (Yvelines), this nine-hectare estate, fitted out "in English" with waterfalls, caves and basins, symbolized his literary ambition and his love for art. Dumas entrusted the plans to the architect Hippolyte Durand, demanding a neo-Renaissance castle in front of a Gothic pavilion inspired by his novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

The house, richly carved with historical, artistic and natural motifs, housed a Moorish living room decorated by Tunisian artisans, as well as a central dining room reflecting Dumas' passion for gastronomy. Close by, the castle of If, a miniature replica of the prison of the novel, served as a work cabinet. The inauguration in 1847 brought together 600 guests, well beyond the fifty planned, illustrating the author's exuberance.

Ruined after the 1848 revolution, Dumas sold the estate in 1849. Delayed for decades, the castle was saved in extremis in 1969 by the Society of Friends of Alexander Dumas and local authorities. Ranked a historic monument in 1975, and in full in 2016, it now houses a museum dedicated to the writer. The park, although partially altered, retains original features such as waterfalls and factories.

The restoration of the Moorish Salon was financed by King Hassan II of Morocco, in tribute to the North African artisans who worked for Dumas. The facades, decorated with medallions of writers and the family coat of arms ("J" loves who loves), still bear witness to the eclecticism of this place, described by Balzac as "the most royal candy tree that exists".

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