Today : 10am - 12am / 2pm - 5pm
Welcome

Saline royale d'Arc-et-Senans

UNESCO World Heritage

 

Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1982, the Saline royale of Arc-et-Senans is a former salt production, order by King Louis XV, between 1775 and 1779, built by the visionary architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux.

In the heart of a 13-hectare park, live an unforgettable experience… Discover an immersive Center of Lights, permanent and temporary exhibitions, 30 gardens and cultural events to live intensely all year.

Getting to the Saline royale

Preparing your visit

Opening times
Prices
Access
Fench, English, German
Free parking
Partial accessibility top people with disabilities
Opening times

MONUMENT

  • November to March: 10am/12pm ; 2pm/5pm
  • April, May, June, September and October: 9am/6pm
  • July and August: 9am/7pm
  • Closed on 25/12 and 01/01

March 30 and 31, visit the monument and the exhibitions until 6 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.

 

The site is partially accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Dogs are permitted on leads on the premises of the Saline royale but arenot allowed inside the buildings.

 

The Center of Light will be exceptionally closed on Wednesday March 27. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Access

ADRESS

EPCC Saline Royale
Grande rue, 25610 Arc et Senans

NEARBY TOWNS

Besançon (35km), Dole (30km)

TRAIN STATION

  • TER Arc et Senans
  • TGV direct from Paris 2 hours 20, from Lausanne 1 hour 30, TER direct from Lyon 2 hours 20
    Go to the SNCF website

AIRPORT

Mulhouse-Basel, Geneva, Dôle/Tavaux and Lyon

ROAD

A36 exit Gendrey/Saline royale; A39 exit Poligny

La Saline royale © my destination DLL_SALINEROYALE-2 saline-porche

Discover 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.

Expositions

Expositions

The Saline royale houses four permanent exhibitions that can be visited all year: the Claude Nicolas Ledoux Museum, Salt Stories, The invention of world heritage and Site Memories, and temporary exhibitions.

Gardens

Gardens

Today, the Saline royale is being reinvented around Claude Nicolas Ledoux’s City of Chaux project: Un Cercle immense.

A new digital trail : augmented 180°

A new digital trail : augmented 180°

The Saline royale offers a new digital trail so that visitors, particularly families, can enjoy an enriched and fun tour of the heritage site.  Many tools are available to discover the rich history of the Saltworks and its designer: the Histopad tablet takes visitors on a journey through history thanks to augmented reality.

Program

Cultural season

ALL YEAR Permanent Exhibition
Embark on a amazing journey across centuries and continents, in 3D immersion in UNESCO World Heritage sites.
DECEMBER 22, 2023 - MARCH 31, 2024 Temporary animations
850 years of history in your hands ! Immerse yourself in the Notre-Dame history, from its Middle Age builders to the current restoration building site. An immersion in augmented reality with the Histopad tablet.
SUMMER 2024 Family
A summer evening at the Royal Saltworks: visit, dinner and huge projections of Vincent Munier's photographic work in the Center of Lights.
AUGUST 2024 Family
Lux Salina takes us through the different periods of the history of La Saline Royale from the 18th century to the present day.
19 & 20 OCTOBER 2024 Family
Like every year, the Royal Saltworks offers a Plant Fair. Many exhibitors will offer for sale shrubs, fruit trees, hardy perennials and old roses, flower bulbs and rhizomes ...
Activities

Activities of the Saline royale

Hotel

Hotel

Experience a moment out of time by staying in one of the 31 listed rooms in the 3-star Saline Royale hotel.

Restaurant

Restaurant

The temporary gardens of the traditional Festival are being transformed into

Treat yourself to a break during your visit. Regional tastes and flavours can be enjoyed on the terrace or inside, amidst exceptional décor.

Congress centre / Private events

Congress centre / Private events

The Saline royale is also a congress centre with 10 meeting rooms accommodating from 10 to 900 people for corporate seminars and private events.

Bookshop / Gift shop

Bookshop / Gift shop

A bookshop-gift shop proposes over 5,000 books and objects in connection with architecture, the history of salt, gardens and the 18th century.

Saline Royale congrès Basse def Yoan Jeudy-27

Support the Saline royale

Bring to life a unique monument that is now open to everyone, support the conservation of UNESCO world heritage and take part in passing it on to future generations.

Contribute to the development of ambitious projects that promote our region, generate sustainable employment and support diversity and research into solutions to climate issues.