Hardelot Castle

Hardelot Castle - Château d'Hardelot, Condette, Pas-de-Calais, Upper France, French Republic

Château d'Hardelot is located in the town of Condette, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France. The current structure is a manor house built in the mid-19th century upon the foundations of a 12th-century edifice.
The château is polygonal in shape, featuring nine towers and surrounded by two large concentric moats. It stands on a hill overlooking marshes and a lake.
The first fortification on this site dates back to the 12th century, established under the Counts of Boulogne. In 1222, Count Philippe de Clermont commissioned a new castle, complete with nine towers and two moats. Throughout its history, the fortress was frequently subjected to attacks by the French, the English, and the Burgundians. During the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, the château was seized by opposing Catholic and Huguenot forces. Ultimately, in the 17th century, by order of Cardinal Richelieu, the castle was dismantled, and the site was converted into a farm.
In 1848, the Hardelot estate—which extended all the way to the sea—was purchased by an Englishman named John Hare, who transformed it into a quintessential English manor in the Tudor style. The writer Charles Dickens, a friend of Hare’s, was a frequent visitor. In 1899, a subsequent owner added tennis courts and a golf course. As a result, the estate became a popular hub for the social elite of the era, regularly hosting members of European royal families. By 1910, several hotels and restaurants had opened nearby. Following the First World War, the château was sold; in 1934, it came into the possession of Abbé Boully, who entrusted its upkeep to a congregation of nuns from Arras. In 1987, the castle was placed under the administration of the commune of Condette. Since 2009, the Cultural Center of Cordial Agreement (Centre Culturel de l'Entente Cordiale) has organized various events there, including literary and musical evenings, film screenings, and art exhibitions. On the summer solstice, a classical music festival takes place, featuring world-renowned stars.