Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans is a former salt factory built between 1775 and 1779 under the leadership of Louis XV.
This unique architectural masterpiece, shaped like a semicircle, immerses you in a fascinating chapter of French industrial history, in an exceptional natural setting!
Discover this historic site with its remarkable architecture, 45 minutes from the
Contact Hôtel Foch, located in downtown Besançon.
The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans: A Page of History
Built in a semicircle, the Royal Saltworks once comprised 11 buildings that served as both production workshops and workers' living quarters.
This 18th-century masterpiece has reinvented itself and offers a unique tour, combining history, culture, and nature.
Are you a fan of new technologies? Take your tour in
augmented reality with your tablet!
A 360° historical reconstruction and interactive 3D objects will transport you back to the 18th century to relive the daily life of salt workers when the factory was in operation.
Discover the 13-hectare park of the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans
In the heart of a 13-hectare park, the Royal Saltworks invites you to explore a vast circle.
Let yourself be amazed by this space of
12 thematic gardens, divided into four triptychs that highlight different facets of plant life.
The Royal Saltworks also offers a rich and varied cultural program.
Five permanent exhibitions are on display throughout the year:
- The Center of Lights, which projects UNESCO sites from around the world for a spectacular immersion.
- The Pavilion of Traditions, retracing the life and work of the saltworks workers. The Claude-Nicolas Ledoux Museum, dedicated to the visionary architect who designed this extraordinary factory.
- Salt Stories and Site Memories: two permanent exhibition spaces exploring the role of salt in the history and evolution of the site.
Don't miss the temporary exhibition 2025:
Corto Maltese – A World of Adventures, which pays tribute to Hugo Pratt on the 30th anniversary of his death.
