Today : 10am - 5pm
Welcome

Saline royale
d'Arc-et-Senans

UNESCO World Heritage

The Saline royale is a salt factory, commissioned by Louis XV, between 1775 and 1779, built by the architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux.

In a 13-hectare park, enjoy an incredible experience… Contemplate UNESCO sites from around the world in the Center of Lights, visit permanent and temporary exhibitions, explore 30 gardens and enjoy a rich program of cultural events, all year long.

Getting to the Saline royale

Preparing my visit

Opening times
Prices
Access
French, English, German,...
Two free car parks and a dedicated cycle park
Disabled access
Opening times
  • November to March : 10am – 5pm

  • April, May, June, September and October : 9am – 6pm

  • July and August : 9am – 7pm

  • Closed on 25/12 and 01/ 01

 

Length of visit : between 2 and 3 hours.

🦮 Dogs are permitted on leads on the premises of the Saline royale but are not allowed inside the buildings.

1 April to 31 October
  • Adult : € 15
  • Adult concessions : € 13
    16-25 year-olds, students, job seekers, recipients of minimum social benefits, visitors by train, partner works councils.
  • Child from 6 to 15 years : € 10
  • Child under 6 : free
  • Family rate (2 adults + 2 to 5 children between 6 and 15 years) : € 42
  • Disabled visitors : € 13
    Visits with Braille signs + visit aids at reception. Wheelchairs for disabled people (free access to the Saline).

 

Accepted payment methods :

Cash, bank card (excluding American Express), cheque, holiday vouchers, UP culture vouchers, Kadéos vouchers and gift cards (excluding Kadéos Select)

 

From 1 November to 31 March
  • Adult : € 13
  • Adult concessions : € 12
    16-25 year-olds, students, job seekers, recipients of minimum social benefits, visitors by train, partner works councils.
  • Child from 6 to 15 years : € 9
  • Child under 6 : free
  • Family rate (2 adults + 2 to 5 children between 6 and 15 years) : € 42
  • Disabled visitors : € 12
    Visits with Braille signs + visit aids at reception. Wheelchairs for disabled people (free access to the Saline).

 

Accepted payment methods :

Cash, bank card (excluding American Express), cheque, holiday vouchers, UP culture vouchers, Kadéos vouchers and gift cards (excluding Kadéos Select)

 

Access

ADRESS

EPCC Saline Royale
Grande rue, 25610 Arc-et-Senans

NEARBY TOWNS

Besançon (35km), Dole (30km)

TRAIN STATION

  • TER Arc-et-Senans 100 metres away. On presentation of your TER ticket to Arc-et-Senans dated less than 48 hours (or your season ticket), benefit from a reduced rate
  • High-speed train from Paris: 2 hours 20; from Lausanne: 1 hour 30; TER direct from Lyon: 2 hours 20.

AIRPORT

Mulhouse-Bâle, Genève, Dôle/Tavaux et Lyon

ROAD

A36 exit Gendrey/Saline royale, A39 exit Poligny

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Discover to the Saline royale

A UNESCO World Heritage

A UNESCO World Heritage

The Saline royale of Arc-et-Senans was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982. It is the masterpiece of Claude Nicolas Ledoux (1736-1806), a visionary architect of the Age of Enlightenment.

The exhibitions

The exhibitions

5 permanent exhibitions (the Center of Lights, the Pavilion of Traditions, the Ledoux Museum, Salt Stories, Site Memories) and temporary exhibitions whose theme changes each year.

The gardens

The gardens

The new 13-hectare landscaping “Un Cercle immense” allows the visitors to walk around the gardens in motion, in the themed gardens and the Gardens Festival.

HistoPad Tour

HistoPad Tour

The Saline royale offers a digital and fun tour for families.

Program

ALL YEAR Permanent Exhibition
Embark on a amazing journey across centuries and continents, in 3D immersion in UNESCO World Heritage sites.
UNTIL 9 MARCH 2025 Temporary exhibitions
From the Vosges to the far north, observe the Arctic fox, the stag, the polar bear or the snow leopard in their environment and contemplate the wilderness of nature.
25 FEBRUARY - 1ST MARCH Concerts & Shows
Auditions and concerts at the academies, open to the public, with the great masters of classical music and pre-professional students.
APRIL 27 - NOVEMBER 9 Temporary exhibitions
On the 30th anniversary of the death of his creator Hugo Pratt, (re)discover the famous comic strip character Corto Maltese for an exotic and fascinating journey around the world.
1 JUNE - 19 OCTOBER Gardens
For its 25th edition, the whole family can discover playful, interactive gardens designed to reconnect children with nature and develop their senses. A gateway to dreams and imagination. More than a garden, an experience.
SUMMER 2025 Family
Experience a unique summer's night at the Saline royale: visit, dinner / picnic and monumental screenings of the Hugo Pratt universe in the Enlightenment Centre.
14 & 25 AUGUST Concerts & Shows
In summer residence at the Saline royale, 100 musicians play on stage in the West Bern, conducted by Estonian Kristiina Poska, musical director of the Orchestre Français des Jeunes.
SUNDAY 14 SEPTEMBER Concerts & Shows
Concert by Orchestre of Dijon-Bourgogne, in co-production with the Festival International de Besançon Franche-Comté, in the Claude-Nicolas Ledoux hall.
20 & 21 SEPTEMBER Family
The Saline royale invites visitors to explore its architecture, history, 13-hectare park and new developments. A visit enriched with activities focusing on the exhibitions and nature.
SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER
From the Grande Saline in Salins-les-Bains to the Saline royale, this Trail is an invitation to discover the emblematic landscapes of Doubs and Jura through several routes accessible to everyone.

 

 

Activities

The Saline activities

Hotel

Hotel

A 3-star hotel within a UNESCO monument. 31 bedrooms. When night falls, the Saline royale shows off its new lighting.

Restauration

Restauration

Take a break during your visit ! At lunchtime, treat yourself to a break during your visit. Regional tastes and flavours can be enjoyed on the terrace or

Corporate center

Corporate center

For years, the Saline royale has been a place for meetings and creation. Certified a Heritage Site for Culture in 1972 and in keeping with its history as a centre for reflecting on the future, it is the ideal venue for bringing colleagues together, thinking about strategies and sharing team-building moments.

Gift shop / Bookshop

Gift shop / Bookshop

A bookshop which offers more than 6,000 book and object references linked to architecture, the history of salt, gardens, the 18th century…