Château de Joux
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A castle on a rocky promontory
Château de Joux is a castle with over a thousand years of history in an amazing setting at the entrance to the ""Cluse de Pontarlier"". It dominates one hundred metres of the narrow pass which in the 13th century developed into an important trade route which became the’ Salt Road’.
After Franche-Comté became part of the Kingdom of France under Louis XIV in 1674, the king sent his military architect and engineer, Vauban, to fortify the new borders. Throughout the reign of Louis XIV, the Château de Joux housed a garrison of several hundred soldiers.
In the middle of the 18th century, the castle became a state prison, as well-known as the Bastille. Among its most famous inmates were Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau, and Toussaint Louverture.
Guided tours of Châteaux de Joux
The castle can only be visited as part of a guided tour for safety reasons. The tour lasts about 1¼ hours and features the main ‘treasures’ as well as the Musée d’Armes (Museum of Weaponry) which traces the development of weapons used by French troops during the 18th century through 700 objects, some very rare.
During the summer, the castle is a hive of activity with night time tours and theatrical performances at the heart of the
The castle is open from 31 March to 31 August.
Useful advice :
The location of the castle on a rocky promontory makes access extremely difficult for visitors with reduced mobility (impossible for wheelchairs and pushchairs). Animals on a lead are admitted.
You are advised to wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes.
Not far from Château de Joux
Lac St Point (artificial beaches in summer); Coni’Fer tourist train, Fort St Antoine ( Comté cheese cave), Métabief ski resort
