The Château d’If is a massive stronghold located on an island in the middle of the harbor of Marseille. They previously put up a strong defense against pirates and invaders, with five more forts on adjacent islands and others on the mainland. These once-deterrent structures now serve to draw in tourists, with the Château d’If drawing particular attention due to its rich cultural history.
Since 1926, when it was first designated as such, Château d’If has welcomed an average of 100,000 tourists each year to Marseille, where it serves as a major tourist attraction. You’ll get a stunning panorama of Marseille from the walkway.
The little castle got its big break in Alexandre Dumas’s famous The Count of Monte Cristo, published in 1844. The main character of the narrative is imprisoned in Château d’If for 14 years before making a daring breakout. A ferry leaves the Old Port for the island about every two hours, so you won’t have to risk your life to get there.
One nautical mile from the Old Port, the journey takes approximately 20 minutes and provides excellent photo ops of the harbor and Fort Friuli in Marseille. You may also stop for a bite to eat at the Old Port of Marseille or on the nearby island of Ratonneau.
History of Château d’If
This stronghold was constructed on the island of If in the Friuli archipelago at the command of King Francis I. Even though it is the smallest of Marseille’s islands, the king realized its strategic importance during a visit there in 1516. He chose to construct a castle to protect the coasts from attack, keep an eye on the royal galley fleet, and keep an eye on Marseille.
People in Marseille were opposed to the construction of the Château d’If, which would have served as a symbol of French royal authority and would have been responsible for keeping an eye on the city. In fact, Marseille was only incorporated into the Kingdom of France in 1480, thus, it was used for self-sufficiency and complete independence up until that point.
Construction started in 1528, and it continued until 1531. Therefore, the stronghold remains to guard the harbor. The Northern Mediterranean’s “most beautiful window of the Kingdom of France.” The château d’If was designed in a medieval style, complete with a drawbridge, moat, drawbridge, and three towers. Its layout allows for the introduction of more troops and large pieces of artillery.
The first prisoners started arriving on the island in the year 1540. Nearly 400 years ago, the jail was the final destination for all criminals, outlaws, and refugees from Marseille. Prisoners are separated in the stronghold according to their social standing. Therefore, the less fortunate were housed in the basement cells, which were dark and unsanitary to the point where even the hardiest prisoners only had a 9-month survival rate.
On the other side, the richest prisoners were assigned the largest quarters. Each cell featured a window and a chimney, but inmates had to pay to use them.
Famous inmates at If Prison include the Count of Monte Cristo, the Mirabeau Count, the Marquis de Sade, and Jean-Baptiste Chataud, the man blamed for the Great Plague that swept through Marseille in 1720.
Edmond Dantès, the main character of Alexandre Dumas’s best-selling novel, and Father Faria are both prisoners in the Château d’If. He escaped arrest and ultimately located the Monte Cristo treasure.
The jail has seen many different types of inmates throughout the years, including Evangelists when the Edict of Nantes was overturned, revolutionaries, and opponents of the present administration.
Prisoners’ handwriting and other markings on the walls are still visible today.
In 1914, all of the inmates were released from Château d’If. Then, during World War II, the castle was overrun by German forces.
Highlights of Château d’If
The historic fort is an impressive landmark, but it’s the fort’s intricate design that really draws in visitors. Imprisoned revolutionaries in 1848, for instance, wrote 96 inscriptions in the courtyard, proving that graffiti art is nothing new. There’s an exhibit dedicated to The Count of Monte Cristo and more graffiti down there.
More exhibitions honoring infamous inmates may be found on the second level of Château d’If, along with film displays that provide a more in-depth look at the castle’s history than we have here. A flight of stairs leads up to a terrace with breathtaking views of the Île d’If, the Frioul Islands, and even some of Marseille.
We’ve already established that the island and its castle are so small that they can be explored in their entirety in under two hours. A little additional time may be needed to visit the gift store and cafe. French, English, German, and Italian guided tours, and audio guides are all offered, with Spanish audio guides also available.
The 3.5-kilometer trip from the Old Port of Marseille to the Château d’If is reached by boat and takes around 20 minutes. The return trip, however, is slowed by the strong currents and might take up to 45 minutes. On days with bad weather, there will be no ferry service.
Conclusion
On an island in the Frioul Archipelago off the coast of Marseille lies the Renaissance-era Château d’If, complete with towers and fortifications. It was constructed during the reign of François I. The Château d’If, once a towering fortress and a terrible jail, is today one of the most popular tourist attractions in Marseille. Explore a legendary fortress that is part of the history of Marseille!
