Visit the French Château Featured in “The Count of Monte Cristo” Movie

Chateau l’Engarran, one of the last ‘Folies’ built in the 18th century, located on the outskirts of Montpellier, has seen renewed interest in its estate thanks to the film, The Count of Monte Cristo. 

With its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival 2024, the film has so far sold over 8 million cinema tickets in France, becoming the third highest-grossing film of 2024, and grossed $68 million worldwide. 

The novel, written by French author Alexandre Dumas in 1844, (author of The Three Musketeers) follows Edmund Dantès through imprisonment, freedom, and revenge and how, after meeting a priest Abbe Faria, learns about the location of the treasure of Monte Cristo.

Dantès is likely based on the real story of Pierre Picaud, a shoemaker falsely accused of treason who, once released from prison, embarked on a course of vengeance that spun wildly out of control. Like his real counterpart, the fictional Dantès works to exact revenge on all those who have wronged him. 

In addition to the Île-de-France region, the film was shot at various locations in the south of France and Belgium, including Château d’Aubiry in Céret, near Perpignan, and Château de l’Engarran in Lavérune, near Montpellier.

Mathieu Billod, sales director of Chateau L’Engarran, said it had over 700 visitors to the chateau during its recent Journée du Patrimoine, where historic buildings are open to the public at the end of September each year, thanks to the film.

The winery was founded in 1632 by Henri D’engarran then in 1722, Jean Vassal, treasurer advisor to the court of finance, set out to build the current château and incorporate a French-style park, expanding the vineyards to 20 hectares. 

In 1816, Laurent Quetton acquired the domaine and started exporting the château wines.

In 1924, the estate was bought by the Bertrand family, Florian and Adelys Bertrand, the ancestors of the Grill family, were the first to sell barrels from the Château de l’Engarran in Paris.

Keen to preserve this unique heritage, the Bertrands have undertaken extensive restoration work on the château and grounds. In 1926, the Bertrand family was instrumental in having the château and grounds listed as an historic monument.

Three generations of women have helped to create the Château de l’Engarran wines as we know them today. In 1978, Francine Grill pioneered the bottling of wines in the Languedoc, at a time when bulk wine was the norm. 

Today, the owners are fifth generation sisters, Constance Rerolle-Grill and Diane Losfelt Grill. Its wines are IGP Pays d’OC, AOP Languedoc, Grés de Montpellier and Saint Georges d’Orques under the TERRA VITIS (certification for sustainable) winegrowing & HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) 3 label. Le Lionnes is one of its best-seller.

If you would like to visit the chateau the next event is its Yoga & Wine, September 28, 10.30am-12.30pm.

For more information visit chateau-engarran.com