French originCharbonnier est maître chez soi
Meaning: Everyone, however humble, is in charge in their own home.
Literally: The charcoal burner is master in his own home
Example: “Je peins mon salon en violet si je veux. Charbonnier est maître chez soi !” — I'll paint my living room purple if I want to: a man's home is his castle!
Equivalents in English, Spanish, German, and Polish
English: A man's home is his castle
Spanish: Cada uno es rey en su casa (literally: Each man is king in his own house)
German: Mein Haus ist meine Burg (literally: My house is my castle)
Polish: Szlachcic na zagrodzie równy wojewodzie (literally: A nobleman on his own farm is the equal of a governor)
Origin: The story usually told, recorded in Littré's dictionary, is that King François I, lost while hunting, took shelter with a charcoal burner who did not recognize him and kept the best seat at table for himself: in his own hut, he was the master. The tale is a legend and has not been confirmed. The charcoal burner, living in a hut deep in the forest, stood for the poorest of the poor.
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