Les Prisons Royales

The history and little secrets of an 18th-century prison!

This historic complex dating from the 18th century is unique in Burgundy Franche-Comté for its state of conservation.

Under Louis XIV, Franche-Comté was a province ripe for smuggling. Gabelles courts were set up to combat illegal trade (in salt, tobacco, cloth, etc.) and hunt down smugglers.

Built between 1730 and 1741 to accommodate this jurisdiction, the building includes an auditorium, the gaoler's lodgings, a chapel, prisons and dungeons.

After the French Revolution, the building became a prison, then a security depository, before being sold to private individuals in 1869. It was then bought by the town in 1995, listed as a historic monument in 1997 and restored.

Let yourself be carried away from the courtroom to the dungeons, which are still well preserved!