Saline Royale: the Royal Saltworks in France

Salt was so important in France during the 18^th Century, that King Louis XV had a huge architectural complex built for the production and storage of salt.

Pass the shaker and let me tell you about Saline Royale, an impressive destination you can’t miss when you visit the beautiful region of Franche-Comté in France.

Saline Royale is located in the town of Arc-et-Senans and it was built by Parisian architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux in the 1770’s during the early period of the Enlightenment.

At this time, architects designed their projects arranging structures geometrically and utilizing hierarchy among the buildings.

A great example of Ledoux mastery is the exceptional pillars – a trademark in Saline Royale – and the stunning porticoes. The colorful gardens and the multiple green areas balance the neutral walls in the compound.

But why was salt so important?

During those times, salt was widely used to conserve food, produce glass, manufacture silverware, and for agricultural and medicinal purposes. So you can imagine the economic importance of this white gold.

The whole Saline Royale project originally stipulated a circular-shaped design but was never completely finished. In fact, it consisted of a semicircular complex with 11 buildings that were used for different purposes, all related to the salt industry.

When building Saline Royale, planners anticipated a large city would develop. However, salt operations eventually came to an end and the entire complex was closed down in 1895.

Today Saline Royale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical and architectural importance.

Inside Saline Royale you can also visit a museum dedicated to the architectural works of Ledoux where you can find small-scale models of his designs.

There is also an important collection of Gustave Courbet paintings. However, this collection will be relocated to the Courbet Museum once it’s renovated in the town of Ornans (about 15 miles away).

If you visit during the months of June through October, be sure to check out the colorful garden festivals.

Wines & Vineyards

The region of Franche-Comté is possibly the smallest wine region in France. But its southern part, the territory of Jura, produces excellent wines; one of which is the Chateau-Chalon, described by Napoleon as the best wine in the world.