Présentation

Thanks to Alexandre Dumas and the captivating story of Monte Cristo, in which the Château d'If plays a central role in the novel, the Monte Cristo Challenge is a unique event, unlike any other in the world.

It is an opportunity for participants in the Challenge to visit this historic and magical place, built off the coast of Marseille at the request of François I between 1524 and 1531. Here you can discover—or rediscover—the fabulous story of the Count of Monte Cristo!

Located at the entrance to the harbor of Marseille, in the heart of the Mediterranean, stands the Château d'If.

A royal fortress in the 16th century, then a state prison from the 18th to the 19th century, it is a mythical and world-famous place. Open to the public since 1880, it was classified as a historical monument in 1926.

This site is remarkably well maintained by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and its administrator, Marie Armelle Baduel. Over the years, it has been enriched with several permanent exhibitions devoted to the history of the Château d'If, the famous people who stayed there, and the story of Edmond Dantès, the Count of Monte Cristo.