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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de l'Emperi is a fortification built in the 9th century on the Puech rock, overlooking the Crau plain at Salon-de-Provence. The residence of archbishops of Arles and German emperors, its name comes from the Provençal term Empèri (empire). Ranked a historic monument in 1956, it now embodies a major cultural heritage, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

The castle houses three museum entities: the Museum of the Army (annex of the Invalids), presenting uniforms, weapons and emblematic objects of the Ancien Régime during the First World War, including relics of Napoleon I such as his bed of St. Helena or gloves worn in Egypt. The collections come from the 1967 sale to the state of the Raoul & Jean Brunon collection, focusing on the evolution of the French uniform and the lives of soldiers.

The Musée de Salon et de la Crau, born in 1926 as the museum of the Old Hall, traces the local history from Antiquity to the 20th century, covering archaeology, soap factory, agriculture and religious art. A room dedicated to the painter Théodore Jourdan, opened in 2008, exhibits his paintings and drawings inspired by the Provence landscape. The Garden of Simples, adjacent, cultivates medicinal plants used by Nostradamus for its recipes, while the museum dedicated to it is located outside the walls, at the foot of the castle.

Ranked among the Musées de France, the site also hosts summer festivals such as the castle (concerts, theatre) or the Renaissance Festivals, medieval historical reenactments animating the city centre. The Brunon courtyard, within the castle, houses cultural associations, including the municipal conservatory. At its feet, Place des Centuries offers views of the old town and the church of Saint Michael.

The Lycée de l'Emperi, a neighbour of the castle, was known for its preparation for the Salon-de-Provence School of Air, training students aspiring to join the Air Force or the Patrouille de France. His canteen, headed by a renowned chef, was the subject of television reports for the quality of his meals, especially that of Christmas.

Among the flagship pieces of military collections are objects linked to historical figures: a bicorne of General Ritay, a dolman of Baron Testot-Ferry, or the sword of Abdel Kader, a source of diplomatic tensions with Algeria. The castle, with Nostradamus and the historic centre, forms a trio of heritage that is inseparable from the local identity.

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