Description of the attraction
The house-museum of Alexandre Dumas-father is located in the suburb of Paris Port-Marly. This is not just a house - it is not for nothing that it bears the name "Castle of Monte Cristo". This is a charming fantasy of the great novelist brought to life, “one of the most charming follies,” as Balzac wrote about this place.
When Dumas thought about his own home, he was at the height of his fame. The success of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo brought him not only fame, but also money. The dream of a villa included two castles, a moat, an English garden with grottoes and waterfalls. Dumas hired the famous architect of the time, Hippolyte Durand, who did everything exactly according to instructions, and on July 25, 1847, a housewarming reception was held at the new estate.
Guests were greeted by a three-story Renaissance castle. Above the windows of the first floor - relief portraits of famous writers: Shakespeare, Dante, Virgil, Homer … and above the entrance - Dumas himself. The family coat of arms of Dumas is carved on the pediment with his personal motto - "I love those who love me." The turrets above the roof are decorated with the writer's monogram.
Innocent boasting speaks of play and fun, not selfishness: Dumas was very generous all his life and supported everyone - mistresses, children, friends. In the luxurious rooms of the castle of Monte Cristo, one of the hangers always lived, and anyone could come to dinner.
You have to work hard to spend so much. Dumas worked in a miniature Gothic castle of If, built nearby. It all consists of an office on the first floor, a bedroom with an iron bed on the second and a sentry platform on the roof.
Life on a grand scale ended naturally: in 1849, Dumas was forced to sell the estate, which cost him hundreds of thousands, for 31 thousand gold francs. The castle passed from hand to hand, was destroyed, and in the end, in 1969, the next owner decided to demolish it in order to build 400 new houses on this site. A group of enthusiasts from the surrounding townships of Port Marly, Marly le Roy and Peck formed a regional organization and the Society of Friends of Alexandre Dumas - specifically to save the estate and turn it into a museum. They bought both castles and the park, completely restored the facades, roofs, interiors, and in a scrupulous manner. For example, the Moorish living room was restored by Moroccan craftsmen under the patronage of the King of Morocco. Now everything is in the museum as it was during the life of Dumas.
