Château de Monte-Cristo
In Port-Marly, the house and park of Alexandre Dumas, with a Renaissance château, a Moorish salon and the small Château d’If.
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About the museum
The writer Alexandre Dumas had the château built on a hill in Port-Marly, near Saint-Germain-en-Laye, with the architect Hippolyte Durand. He held a grand inauguration party there on July 25, 1847. Deeply in debt, he had to sell the estate as early as 1849 and left for Belgium in 1851.
The château then changed owners several times. For lack of upkeep, the roofs, sculptures and park deteriorated, and a property project threatened to make it disappear altogether. The intercommunal syndicate of Port-Marly, Marly-le-Roi and Le Pecq joined forces with the Society of Friends of Alexandre Dumas to save the monument, which was later restored.
Today visitors can see its richly sculpted façades, decorated with portraits of dramatists, the Moorish salon with stuccowork by Tunisian craftsmen, and a landscape park with grottoes, waterfalls and basins. The small Château d’If, Dumas’s former study, completes the estate. The cultural season offers theatrical guided tours, exhibitions, themed days and activities for children.
Highlights
- Renaissance château built for Alexandre Dumas
- Moorish salon with Tunisian stuccowork
- Landscape park with grottoes, waterfalls and basins
- Small Château d’If, the writer’s former study
- Theatrical tours on the last Sunday of the month
- Treasure hunts and detective games for children
Permanent exhibition
- Château, salon mauresque et parc – Visit of Alexandre Dumas’s château, his Moorish salon and the landscape park with its grottoes and waterfalls.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7Visitors under 25, recipients of the RSA (minimum income benefit), holders of the Pass Destination Yvelines/Hauts-de-Seine (except on Sundays) and of the Pass Navigo (Saturdays only), with proof. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 7 · Free admission for children under 8. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €7Reduced rate for people with disabilities and their companion. |
| Groups (20+ people) | –1 hour 30 minute group guided tour for €170 per group plus €6 per person (€230 in a foreign language); for groups of at least 20 people, booked through the Saint-Germain Boucles de Seine tourist office. |
| Park only | €5Not valid on event days |
| Guided tour for individual visitors | €1045 minutes, second and third Sundays of the month, March to October; free for children under 8 |
| Theatrical tour for individual visitors | €11Last Sunday of the month; €2 for ages 3 to 7, free for children under 3 |
| Treasure hunt or investigation for children | €12Per child; accompanying adult €7 |
Rates for the château and park outside events. Event prices (murder parties, exhibitions, themed days, European Heritage Days) are listed in the programme of each event.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The park is difficult to access for people with reduced mobility; the website asks visitors to call for details. An online relay service allows deaf and hard-of-hearing people to contact the château.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly: not available
- Kids’ birthday parties
Tablet puzzle game at reception (€5 per family), treasure hunts and investigations on certain Wednesdays (€12 per child) and role-play by reservation. Birthday parties from April to October for 8 to 12 children aged 6 to 10 (€150 plus €6 per child, snack not included). Strollers are not admitted in the château but can be left outside. Children’s book fair (Salon du livre jeunesse) at the start of autumn.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Les Lampes · 5-min walk
Train from Paris-Saint-Lazare to Marly-le-Roi, then bus 6304 to the “Les Lampes” stop; RER A to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, then bus 6304 towards Marly-le-Roi to “Les Lampes”. About 5 minutes’ walk from the stop.
By car
Free parking
About 50 car spaces next to the reception pavilion, behind an automatic barrier: take a ticket at the entrance and show it at reception to exit free of charge. Coaches cannot enter the car park.
Access via the Chemin du Haut des Ormes, sharing the entrance with the car parks of the Clinique de l’Europe. From Marly-le-Roi station, about 30 minutes on foot. From the A13 (Saint-Germain-en-Laye exit, N186) or the A86/N13.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
On-site shop. The website asks visitors to bring their own headphones to listen to the audio commentary by scanning a QR code.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The self-guided visit takes about an hour; commentary is available by QR code (personal headphones). Guided tours for individuals are bookable online, with limited places. Guided school visits or visits with workshops are also available. Bicycles and children’s scooters are prohibited in the park and the château. |
