Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1982, the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans is the masterpiece of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1736–1806), a visionary architect of the Enlightenment. It is also a rare example in the history of industrial architecture. A factory intended for salt production, the Royal Saltworks was created at the behest of Louis XV and built between 1775 and 1779.
The Royal Saltworks operated as an integrated factory where almost the entire working community lived. Built in the shape of a semicircle, it housed both living quarters and production facilities, comprising 11 buildings in total. Rendered obsolete by the emergence of new technologies, the Royal Saltworks closed its doors in 1895. Abandoned, looted, and damaged by a fire in 1918, the Doubs Department acquired it in 1927, thus saving it from ruin.
Three successive restoration campaigns, completed in 1996, restored its former splendour.
In the heart of a 32-acre park, enjoy an unforgettable experience… See UNESCO sites from around the world in the Centre de Lumières, visit permanent and temporary exhibits, explore 30 gardens with trees, and enjoy a rich programme of cultural events all year round.
Less than 2 hours 30 minutes from Paris, Lyon or Geneva, the Royal Saltworks is located on the border between Jura and Doubs, in the heart of a 13-hectare site and 5 minutes from the Forest of Chaux, the second-largest natural forest in France.
