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The castle of La Verrerie in Le Creusot, Saône-et-Loire

A dive into the industrial history of the city of Le Creusot

The castle of the Verrerie du Creusot is located in the heart of the city, it was the residence of the Schneider family for more than a century (1836-1960). During the splendor of the Schneider family during the First World War, the city had more than 35,000 inhabitants (today 23,000). The majority of the city's inhabitants worked in the steel mills owned by the Schneider family. There are very few traces left of the industrial activity in the city of Le Creusot, only the castle and its park which remains the last testimony of the power of the Schneider family.

The castle and its park can be visited, they were sold to the city of Creusot in the 60s, the castle is now a museum of industry.

The museum of the castle of La Verrerie

Interest: good (3 users)
Difficulty:
Duration: 2 h.
Practical information

The cannons in front of the château

The Schneider family were pioneers in the field of metallurgy, particularly in steel production and the manufacture of machine tools. Their company, Forges et Acieries du Creusot, played a crucial role in the French Industrial Revolution, fuelling the country's economic growth and contributing to its technological development.
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The facade of the château de la Verrerie

At its height in the early 1900s, the Schneider family hosted foreign heads of government at the Château de la Verrerie. Despite the family's considerable wealth during the First World War, they also suffered a heartbreaking loss: an aviator son destined to take over the reins of the company lost his life.
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The entrance of the castle

The château, with its majestic architecture, is a true masterpiece. Built in the 18th century, it bears witness to the refinement and prestige of the era.
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The towers of the Creusot crystal factory

An industry already existed in the region before the Schneider steelworks were built. Louis XVI had decided to set up a crystal works in order to reduce imports of English products. Le Creusot was chosen because of its proximity to coal mines.
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The courtyard of the castle

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The entrance of the museum

The château houses a museum dedicated to industry. The permanent exhibitions at the Musée de l'Homme et de l'Industrie tell the story of this "factory castle". Admission is free.
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The view on the park from the castle

Today, the park is open to the public and offers a host of activities for visitors: walks, picnics and guided tours of the château.
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A pond in the park

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The park of the castle

The beautiful park is a typical English landscape garden of the Napoleon III period.
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Animals in the park

You can see some farm animals in the park.
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View on the castle

The park is really worth a look.
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