THE MOUANS-SARTOUX CASTLE

Mouans-Sartoux

The Château de Mouans-Sartoux, a 16th century monument, is located in the heart of the French Riviera in Mouans-Sartoux.

The history of the Château de Mouans-Sartoux

Discover the fascinating history and unique architecture of the Château de Mouans-Sartoux, a medieval gem located in France.
Built in the early 16th century by Jean de Grasse, the castle was owned by the de Grasse family for more than two centuries, until 1750.
It then passed through the hands of the Villeneuve, Durand de Sartoux, and Peguihlan de Sartoux families before being sold to the city of Mouans in 1988.

During the Wars of Religion, the Château de Mouans became a stronghold for the Reformed, with its lord, Pompey de Grasse, being a Protestant.
Unfortunately, the castle underwent significant destruction during the revolutionary period.
However, around 1820, the two wings of the castle were rebuilt, and the east and west towers were not rebuilt until the end of the 19th century. In the middle of the 20th century, the east tower was lowered and covered with tiles, giving the castle its current appearance.

What makes the Château de Mouans so special is its original plan, which has a triangular shape that is extremely rare in France.
This unique architecture adds an extra dimension to its charm and historical interest.
In 1990, theEspace de l'Art Concret opened its doors in the castle, transforming the space into an internationally renowned center for contemporary art.

Today, the Château de Mouans-Sartoux is not only a witness to history, but also a dynamic place where art and culture meet.

The Park and its facilities

This magical place was redeveloped with the help of the famous landscape designer Gilles Clément in 2004, and an extension in 2022 added a touch of nature to the heart of the city.

The redevelopment of the park has enhanced the topography of the site by creating a diversity of plant species that bloom throughout the year.
Each season offers a different walk, filled with enchanting colors and scents.

In collaboration with the landscape designer François Navarro, the project has preserved the original use of the park;
This development allows you to discover a magical path between the "Garden Glade" around the castle, highlighting light, order and geometry, and the "Transparency Wood", a space punctuated by enchanting paths.
The lime trees, shady trees, bring a soothing atmosphere and the light spreads softly everywhere.
A large square in front of the castle hosts summer events, while a new meadow planted with fig and olive trees offers a Mediterranean charm.

The terrace of flowering plum trees and wisteria on the north side of the château leads to the "Bois des transparences".

In this wood, you'll discover small clearings dotted with stone pedestals engraved with common plant names. Each pedestal invites you to discover a specific plant, such as the "Chaste Lamb" with its late-summer blue flowers, the "Wolf's Mouth" with its crimson spikes, or the "Caged Love" with its sweet orange fruit.
These stones in the undergrowth take you on a treasure hunt that blends poetry, scientific language and biodiversity.

You can learn more about these plants, their uses and how they have evolved over time. But you can also simply sit on the stones and dream, enjoying your freedom in this wonderful little wood.

More recently, an extension to the park has been completed in harmony with the creation of a parking lot for the château.
This extension extends the park's boundaries towards the town and its avenue, bringing a genuine piece of nature to the heart of the urban environment.

Existing trees are preserved as far as possible, and dolines and embankments add movements that resonate with the park's configuration.
The park's physical boundaries are integrated into the vegetation, creating a harmony without boundaries.

Access to the park is open to all visitors, and the wood and galvanized steel street furniture blends discreetly into the landscape.

The plant palette of the extension is in continuity with that of the existing park

The Albers-Honegger donation

Welcome to the Albers-Honegger Donation, a fascinating and luminous building located in the park in front of the Château de Mouans-Sartoux!
Designed by architects Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer, this amazing building rises like a luminous sign in the middle of the surrounding nature.

The building has a turiform shape and consists of five levels.
Inside, you'll find a vast reception area that opens onto nature, as well as 15 exhibition rooms designed with different dimensions, ceiling heights and orientations to create a harmonious rhythm.

There's also a conference room, a documentation room and offices, as well as storerooms and technical rooms. The architecture of this building is powerful thanks to the combination of spaces and the density of the materials used, notably the rough-cast concrete walls.

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The rooms of the Albers-Honegger Donation offer a magnificent experience, echoing the Gallery of the Castle.
They play with the contrasts between inside and outside, between near and far, between nature and culture.
The rooms are arranged along the facades and are illuminated by large lateral openings.
The windows are placed at different heights and are protected on the outside by glass screens that reflect the surrounding nature.
Thus, the facades create a subtle play of light and shadow, blending harmoniously with the changing colors of the trees.

The dense, abstract and minimal form of this building is in perfect harmony with the works of the Albers-Honegger Donation.
It makes an obvious contribution to reflection, research and visual observation, in accordance with Gottfried Honegger's philosophy: "Learn to look, because looking is a creative act".
The furniture is an integral part of this spatial reflection and seeks to emphasize the relationship between man and work, as well as the dialogue between inside and outside.

Explore this unique place, be inspired by the captivating architecture and discover the wonderful works of the Albers-Honegger Donation in a harmonious setting where nature and art come together.

Castle & EAC schedules.

The Château de Mouans-Sartoux and its Espace d'Art Concret EAC is open all year round:

from July 1 to August 31:
open every day
from 11am to 7pm
Closing of the ticket offices at 6:45pm
(last access: purchase of admission ticket at the eac. 6:30pm)

from September 1 to June 30
open Wednesday to Sunday
from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Closing of the ticket offices at 5:45 pm
(last access: purchase of admission ticket at the eac. 5:30 pm)