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All 86 Marseille Attractions »

Castle of If

Quai des Belges, 13000 Marseille, France
04 91 59 02 30
Ranked #5 of 57 attractions in Marseille
4.0 of 5 stars 56 Reviews
Type: Historic Sites, Islands, Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Owner description: This famous fortress, standing on a rocky island off the coast of Marseille, was immortalised by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo as the...... more » Owner description: This famous fortress, standing on a rocky island off the coast of Marseille, was immortalised by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo as the prison where the novel’s hero, Edmond Dantes, was incarcerated before ultimately escaping. The castle was built by Francois I in 1524 and over the centuries it gained a fearsome reputation as many opponents of royal power were jailed and died in the fortress. The Castle of If has been perfectly preserved and is one of the most impressive historical sites on the Mediterranean coastline. Open:> 15th May to 20th September: from 9.30 a.m. to 6.15 p.m.> 21st September to 14th May: from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. The last visit depends on the timetable of boats, information at the tourist information center, on our website monuments-nationaux.fr or on Frioul If express. Closed:> Mondays from 21st September to 14th May.> 1st January, 25th December and subject to bad weather. Admission fees: Adults : 5,50 €; Concessions (18 to 25) = 4 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups. « less
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56 reviews from our community

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    23
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    7
Date Rating
Groningen, The Netherlands
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2012

Tour with the boat allows grat view on the city and its harbour. More

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See 3 more reviews by Verena L for Marseille
Louisville, Kentucky
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2012

It was wet and chilly when we out in the morning to take the ferry to the Chateau d'If, but definately worth it. Very cool place and get to see some good sites on the way. More

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See 3 more reviews by Benjamin D for Marseille
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2012

The boat ride was enjoyable and the history interesting. Views from the island were impressive. A relaxing venture at a reasonable price. I should mention there are stairs and climbing involved in the Castle tour. Wear your climbing shoes! More

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See 3 more reviews by Norm M for Marseille
1 review
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2012

We took a trip to Frioul island only. It's basically an empty dry rock with some infrastructure left behind. You can have sunbath in piece and have a swim in the small beach, and... and there is nothing else. I think it wanted to be a holiday place, but it failed, "access denied" empty buildings all over the place. We... More

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Calgary
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Our cruise ship arrived Marseille on Tuesday, my first choice was to visit the Calanques but unfortunately the ferry only sail on Wednesday, so we picked Chateau d'If as our second choice because of the book the Count of Monte Cristo, and it did not disappoint me. The ferry ride was scenic and once we were on the If Castle,... More

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Halifax, Canada
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 April 2012

This trip was well worthwhile. We were hesitant to go after reading some of the less complimentary reviews on tripadvisor, but we enjoyed our time at the Chateau d'If. The chateau boasts beautiful views of the other islands which are great for photos. The chateau itself is fun to explore and offers the opportunity to learn more by listening to... More

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See 5 more reviews by KellyLeVasseur for Marseille
Bedarieux, France
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 March 2012

It was exiting to imagine how the life would have been had the Alexandre Dumas figure lived. More

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See 4 more reviews by GrisVoyageurs for Marseille
Marseille, France
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 March 2012

from chateau d'if, you have an original view of marseille. The castle in itself, since it used to be a real political prison for the king's distinguished opponents, is a moving visit. better not in the summer heat More

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See 2 more reviews by frenchflorence for Marseille
Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 March 2012

You can go until the Chateau d'If by boat! I recommend it, very cute place. More

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See 4 more reviews by Marina F for Marseille
Marseille
Senior Contributor
37 reviews 37 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 March 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Nothing to see, but will be a stop going to Frioul island, you can discover the jail where Alexandre Dumas situated the story of "the comte de Monte cristo More

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See 30 more reviews by JacquesHMarseille for Marseille

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