Cour d'honneur, Château de la Verrerie, Le Creusot.

The three lives of Château de la Verrerie

Welcome to a must-see site in Le Creusot

From Marie-Antoinette's crystal workshop to the Schneider apartments

An emblematic site in Le Creusot, the Château de la Verrerie preserves the memory of the town’s industrial history. Open to visitors, it’s a place of discovery for all those with a passion for industrial and technical history.

Discover the château… And its many facets. Follow us, we’ll show you the way!

In the days of royal crystal

With its two distinctive towers, the Château de la Verrerie has a unique appearance. The sight of these two cones on either side of the main courtyard makes you wonder which eccentric architect came up with the idea for such a construction.

The answer is simple: this vast complex of buildings wasn’t always a château. It was originally conceived as a factory: Queen Marie-Antoinette’s royal crystal and enamel factory. This factory, founded in the late ^18th century, expanded in the early ^19th, before coming to an abrupt halt with its closure in 1832.

Opalines at the Musée de l'Homme et de l'Industrie, Le Creusot.

A factory at the service of luxury

The factory specialized in the manufacture of crystal objects (dinner services, decorative objects, etc.) and was renowned for the quality and refinement of its creations. It supplied the court and important people of the day. But it could just as easily manufacture ordinary glass.

Faced with difficulties, the glassworks closed in 1832. For a few years, it was used to house miners and workers from the nearby forge.

Discover the creations at the Musée de l'Homme et de l'Industrie

The home of the blacksmiths

In 1837, the Schneider brothers, new owners of the Creusot foundry and forges, bought the buildings.

Eugène Schneider decided to make it his home in Creusot. Work was gradually undertaken to transform the former factory into a prestigious residence, which took the name of Château de la Verrerie.

In the 1860s, the main building was modified. But it was mainly between 1905 and 1911 that the most important work was carried out, giving the building its ^18th-century neoclassical appearance.

Anecdote

In what was once the crystal glassworks, the forge masters want to be able to welcome customers and distinguished guests. So one of the former furnaces is to be converted into… a theater!

A place of discovery

Today, the Château de la Verrerie is a heritage site. The main building houses the Musée de l’Homme et de l’Industrie – Écomusée Creusot Montceau, which presents the history of the region’s industrial development, the former crystal works and the Schneider dynasty.

In an adjoining building, the Pavillon de l’Industrie invites visitors to immerse themselves in the industrial adventure of Le Creusot by exploring, with the help of a tablet, the history of the forges and their production, from their origins to the present day.

The highlight of the tour?

It’s certainly the Petit Théâtre. Who could imagine that an old glassmaker’s kiln could conceal such a setting?

Raphaël