Location: Champagne - Ardenne < France
Nearest Airport:
Paris at 120
Miles
Nearest Ferry:
Calais at 483
Kilometres
Nearest Train:
Bar sur Aube at 32
Kilometres
Nearest Motorway:
A 5 at 32
Kilometres
Nearest Beach:
beach at 193.0
Kilometres
Car: necessary
Chateau de Cirey
Located in the Haute-Marne district about 250 km from Paris, the Chateau de Cirey was marked by the presence of Voltaire who lived there for 15 years from 1734 to 1749.
Voltaire was the guest of Gabrielle Emilie de Breteuil, Marquise du Chatelet, another great intellect of the 18th century.
Voltaire was forced to flee Paris and take refuge at Cirey in 1734 after the publication of 'Philosophic Letters' also know as 'The English Letters'. The 'Letters' strongly criticized existing French institutions. The French parliament, angered by the letters, ordered that Voltaire be imprisoned. Having already served two previous sentences in the Bastille, Voltaire preferred to flee.
The Marquise du Chatelet, a friend whom Voltaire had met the year before, offered him asylum at her Cirey property.
marks the location of the property in Haute-Marne
