Château d,If, Marseille

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This castle/fortress is built on an island just off the coast of Marseille. The history dates back until the 16th century, but the chateau became really famous when the French novelist Alexandre Dumas set the setting for his novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" right here! In the novel the count manages to escape from the island, but in reality no escape has ever been reported!

You can visit the chateau, but we did not (too little time plus the sea was pretty rough...). We did enjoy the view from the Corniche, though!

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From the Old Port, one can catch a boat out to the Frioul Islands, an archipelago just off the coastline. The Chateau d'If is the most famed attraction here. Built by King Francois I in the 16th century, its main purpose was to help keep control over the city. The fort is also the setting for The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas' 19th century novel.

Also, be sure to visit the other islands here. They offer some sandy beaches and excellent views of the city.

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It's the french military monument most visited...but it was essentially a jail, where stayed the " Masque de fer" and many wellknown prisonners.
Situated on a little Island called "If" you have to sail before to visit it.

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Everybody who has red the story "The Count of Monte Cristo" knows who is Edmond Dantes. If we imagine that it could be not only a story but real adventure, we have a opportunity to see the cell were Edmond Dantes served his time. Sightworthy is the famed tunnel as well.
Even if we disassociate the story from real history you should know that a long time ago truly Château d'If functioned as real prison.
When tour of Château d'If is finished before going home you can buy some souvenirs or take a drink in the gift shop.

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Did you read The Count of Monte Cristo? Remember the prison he escaped from? Well this is it. There are regular boats that depart the port of Marseille and take tourists and visitors to the island just off the coast. Spend a few hours exploring the prison. Visit the cell where the captain of the ship that brought the Plague to Europe was kept. Put yourself behind the bars of the Count of Monte Cristo's cell. Visit the tops of the towers - at the center of one, you can speak and all your words will echo back to you.

Once your done, take a dip in the incredibly delicious water or have lunch at the cafe before heading back to your boat.

The island of If was uninhabited until the 16th century, when King Francois I, realising its military potential, ordered a fortress to be built on it. Shortly after, the fortress was converted to a prison and later made famous in the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. Alexandre Dumas had met José Custodio Faria, a monk and former inmate, and was so impressed with this man that he fashioned the 'mad monk' in his novel after him. The prison was closed in the late 19th century and opened to the public in 1890.

The Chateau d'If can be reached by boat from the Vieux Port (Old Port) in Marseille.

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You can take a boat ride to a tiny isle where the Chateau d'If is situated. This small castle turned into a prison is known to everybody who has read Dumas' novel, "The Count of Monte Cristo'. This is fiction of course, but still the castle is nice and you can even enter a cell and look from behind the bars trying to imagine what it could be. The island also offers a nice view of the city. If ou decide to take a later boat, you can have a swim or sunbathe on the island. there is a small gift store there and all postcards have the Chateau d'If stamp proving that you did time there :)

The isle of If is the smallest of 3 islands lying just outside the old port of Marseille. The chateau (castle or fortress) was built in 1524 and became a prison in 1634. One of his prisoners was José Custodio Faria, who inspired writer Alexandre Dumas to write his famous novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”. It takes a 30 minutes boatride to reach the island, but we didn’t.