Château d’Avignon: an estate in the Camargue – Places of welcome – Culture
A DAY AT THE CASTLE
On the occasion of the launch of “Pays d’Arles – Provençal Capital of Culture”, the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône invites you on April 30 in the Camargue to a free and festive day in the open air, in the heart of the Château d Avignon and its domain. We are expecting many of you for this family day.
FREE EVENT
from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.:
– Treats and refreshments offered
– Relaxation area
– Virtual reality animation
– Visits to the castle and its estate
– Visits to the restoration workshops of the Roman frescoes of the “Maison de la harpiste”
– Photo exhibition, aerial sculptures, street arts
– Jazz concert and musical entertainment
In 1893, this wealthy merchant from Marseilles bought a castle built in the 18th century by the Avignon family. Avant-garde, the new owner then radically transformed the old bastide, which on his initiative became a precious hunting lodge.
The layout it implements still bears witness today to the society, sciences and tastes of the nascent 20th century. The techniques presented at the universal exhibitions of 1889 and 1900 rub shoulders here with designs from the hygienist theses of the time and luxurious decorations, revealing the way of life of a great bourgeois.
This exceptional heritage, property of the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône and classified as a Historic Monument, thus plunges us into the heart of the 19th century in a technological, artistic, environmental and human project to which the cultural program offered this spring and during the summer tries to echo.
The castle
The castle built in the 18th century was transformed around 1895 by the Arles architect Auguste Véran. The enlargement of the facade and the addition of Renaissance-style fireplaces suggest that the wealthy bourgeois who owned it was freed to demonstrate his social rank. The interior layout incorporates the most modern equipment in terms of comfort and hygiene in a high quality decor, inspired by the hunting lodges of the time. From the living room to the office of the master bedroom via the servants’ floor, it is a snapshot of the way of life and social history that is offered to the visitor.
The water station
Since the 18th century, the location of the estate, backing onto the Petit Rhône, has enabled agricultural land to be irrigated and desalinated as far as the Vaccarès pond, via a dense network of roubines. From this price of water, Louis Prat-Noilly designed a veritable hydraulic complex consisting of a pumping station, settling basins, a water tower and electric dynamos. This set, designed on the industrial model, implemented the most modern techniques for pumping, treating and distributing water on the estate and the surrounding land. It also makes it possible to use the hydraulic energy generated by the Dumont pump to supply the château with electricity. This pump, located in the central hall of the factory, is still in use today.
The boiler room
The west wing of this outbuilding houses a coal-fired boiler which was used to produce hot water and heating the chateau. This model called “multitubular boiler”, designed for industry by the English firm Babcock and Wilcox, found a very domestic application in 1898. The central body of the building has to house the technician-machinist. In the east wing is the owner’s car garage, the gas pump does not yet bear witness.
The White House
The forge used to be on this site. Like all subsistence and agricultural activities, this one was moved to the outbuildings of Mas de la Cure and Ménage where Louis Prat-Noilly developed a very large-scale wine-growing activity. The current construction with its neat architecture constituted the housing of the manager. It is now reserved for the reception of the public.