Château de Cirey is best known for having been Voltaire's place of residence from 1734 to 1749, at the invitation of his friend Gabrielle-Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet. A mathematician and physicist, she is regarded today as the most brilliant French woman scientist of the eighteenth century.
It was here that Émilie wrote her "Dissertation on the nature and propagation of fire", the first work written by a woman to be published by the Royal Academy of Sciences (1739). She published "Les Institutions de physique" (1740), then set about her major work: the French translation of Newton's "Principes mathématiques de la philosophie naturelle".
The château is also a fine 17th-century building, left unfinished and remodelled in the mid-18th century by the Marquise du Châtelet and Voltaire. Classified as a Historic Monument and awarded the "Maisons des Illustres" label, the château is a private property, furnished and inhabited, and is open to the public on a guided tour, giving you the chance to discover its refined décor: lounges, Emilie du Châtelet's bedroom, large dining room, library, kitchens and a unique venue, Voltaire's little theatre.
You can also explore the château's gardens. The first garden, created in the 18th century by Voltaire and Emilie du Châtelet, is currently being renovated. Hedges of hornbeam, fruit trees and an avenue of lime trees are gradually emerging to give a more contemporary look to this vanished landscape.
The second picturesque garden, created in the 19th century, takes advantage of the relief and borders the canal. It was partly designed by the landscape gardener Count Paul Lavenne de Choulot. There are some very fine trees here, including centuries-old plane trees, a charming hunchbacked bridge and a curiosity, the chalet-like cladding of the former house of Voltaire and Emilie du Châtelet's gardener.
Tours of the château are only available on a guided basis. Guided tours depart at 2.30pm and 4.30pm (duration approx. 1 hour 15 minutes). Please see the table below for times and days of the year when tours are available.
Château de Cirey-sur-Blaise
