The Bordeaux of Montaigne
Let's begin our literary journey in the capital of Gironde. In Bordeaux, on the Place des Quinconces, two statues face each other from one end to the other. On one side, Montaigne; on the other, Montesquieu. Let's start with Montaigne. Considered the founder of the humanities, the famous Renaissance philosopher and humanist gave his name to the faculty located in the Talence-Pessac-Gradignan university estate. Montaigne was born in a château in the Périgord region of France, and later attended the Collège de Guyenne in Bordeaux. He then lived in the family home on rue de Rousselle. He studied law and soon became a member of the Bordeaux Parliament. He sat at the Palais de l'Ombrière, which today no longer exists, but which stood on the site of today's Palais. Nearly 15 years later, he retired and traveled around Europe before being called back to Bordeaux, where he had just been elected mayor in spite of himself! In parallel with his mandate, he wrote his famous Essais, which he published in several editions. The first two books of the Essais were published for the first time by a Bordeaux printer, Simon Millanges. A printed copy dating from 1588 is now preserved at the Bibliothèque municipale de Bordeaux: enthusiasts beware! Montaigne died at the age of 59, in his château at Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne (the historic tower and estate are open to visitors), and was laid to rest in the Feuillants church in Bordeaux, where the Musée d'Aquitaine now stands.
The Chartrons district
Let's continue our visit to the Chartrons district, source of inspiration for novelist François Mauriac. As is often the case, reality inspired fiction: it was a news item that gave Mauriac the idea for his famous Thérèse Desqueyroux. In 1920, the 20-year-old Bordelais attended the trial of Henriette-Blanche Canaby, accused of trying to poison her husband. The couple lived at 54, quai des Chartrons, in a beautiful mansion overlooking the Garonne. The case is peculiar: the victim takes up his wife's cause... The accusation actually came from the pharmacist, who was surprised to see prescriptions from a doctor from the Landes region, prescribing toxic products for Canaby. Upon verification, the handwriting and signature had been falsified. The verdict was in: Henriette was charged and imprisoned in the Hâ prison, before being acquitted and fleeing Gironde. This strange story gave rise to Thérèse Desqueyroux, Mauriac's landmark novel, published in 1927. Taking up the main plot, he moved it from Les Chartrons to the commune of Argelouse, located in the Landes forest. The book was a success. At the same time, he inherited the family property at Malagar..
The Domaine de Malagar de Mauriac
Born at 89, rue du Pas-Saint-Georges, in the heart of Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre district, François Mauriac was an emblematic figure in the city. He moved to rue Duffour-Dubergier, then rue Vital-Carles, spending his vacations in Gradignan and the Landes, before returning to the capital. At the age of forty, he inherited the Malagar estate in Saint-Maixant, Gironde, a small 13th-century bourgeois house. He spent the rest of his life there, writing several masterpieces, including Le nœud de vipères and Le Mystère Frontenac, and numerous chronicles compiled in his Bloc-notes . Today, the estate has given way to the Centre François Mauriac de Malagar, open to the public. Following in the writer's footsteps, visitors to this exceptional natural setting can enjoy panoramic views over the vineyards and Landes forest. Literary walks are also available: an original alternative for discovering both the landscape and Mauriac's novels. The "Entre les pages du Nœud de vipères " (Between the pages of The Viper's Knot ) walk takes in the Domaine's surroundings as far as the village of Verdelais, between vineyards and hillsides; while the "Sur le sable de la forêt landaise" (On the sands of the Landes forest) walk explores this territory, which features prominently in the novels, including the childhood cottage of Saint-Symphorien. For full details, visit the Malagar website.
Brède Castle
After the city of Bordeaux and the Malagar estate, the third literary stage takes us to the small village of La Brède, south of the Gironde capital. With its Gothic architecture, the Château de la Brède was home to the thinker Montesquieu for part of his life. He was born here in 1689. Eight centuries later, the estate has retained the philosopher's spirit. Listed as a Monument Historique, the château and its grounds are open to the public and retrace the life of its famous host. Born Charles-Louis de Secondat, the young man began studying law in Bordeaux at the age of 15. After his father's death, Montesquieu became Baron de la Brède and President of the French Parliament at the age of 27. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to literature and the political and natural sciences. His landmark work remains the Lettres persanes. In it, he portrays Persians discovering Paris, enabling him to paint a satirical picture of France and religion. Between several trips to Europe, Montesquieu returned regularly to the region, to the Château de la Brède, but also to Bordeaux. He lived in rue Margaux, rue du Mirail and rue Porte-Dijeaux, where he ended his life. Today, this address is home to the famous Mollat bookshop, the largest independent bookstore in France (2,500m²). A place steeped in history!
Villa Arnaga
Let's skip 200 kilometers to the Basque country and the pretty town of Cambo-les-Bains. This is where the famous French playwright Edmond Rostand lived from the age of thirty. An artist of the late 19th century, he would remain forever attached to his famous hero Cyrano de Bergerac. At the time, he left the capital on the advice of his doctor. It was some twenty kilometers from the Côte d'Argent, not far from the banks of the Nive river, that the artist created this neo-Basque-style house, whose interior resembles a sumptuous theater set. Its French garden offers a view of the Pyrenean mountains, while on the opposite side, an English garden provides a gentle setting for flowers. Today, this exceptional residence is home to the Musée d'Edmond Rostand. Immerse yourself in the world of this little-known poet through his many works, manuscripts and drawings.
Pierre Loti's Basque Coast
Rochefortais by birth, but Basque at heart, Pierre Loti lived for many years in the Basque country. This writer, member of the Académie française and naval officer, left behind a body of work marked by exoticism. His long career took him to the seas of the world, bringing back memories that were transformed into autobiographical novels. While his greatest success, Pêcheur d'Islande (Fisherman of Iceland), depicts the passion of a young Breton woman and a fisherman from the Côtes-d'Armor region, Pierre Loti also found inspiration in the Basque region. It was here that, at the age of forty, he settled in the small village of Sare. This new environment inspired one of his masterpieces: Ramuntcho. A tale of love and adventure, the novel is set in the world of Basque smugglers. The writer describes a traditional, folkloric Basque country, which some might consider almost caricatured. Yet Ramuntcho is an emblematic success for the region, and has been adapted several times for the cinema. Ill, Loti died at the age of 73 in Hendaye, before being buried on the island of Oléron.
Pierre Benoit's house in Saint-Paul-lès-Dax
Pierre Benoit is less successful today, yet in his day he was a recognized writer, distinguished by the Académie Française, nominated for the Goncourt and whose works were adapted several times for the cinema. Author of adventure novels, many of his stories are set on the Aquitaine coast: Don Carlos in the Basque country, L'île Verte in Gironde... Fleeing notoriety, Pierre Benoit spent much of his time at his family home in Saint-Paul-lès-Dax, which he named La Pelouse in one of his novels. For many years, the house was a museum perpetuating the memory of this popular novelist. Today, the house, bought by the town, has its shutters closed, but visits are organized from time to time.
And also..
Many authors have found inspiration in the region. The list can only be exhaustive, but let's take Jean-Henri Séqué and Bernard Manciet, the Gascon poets, Francis Jammes, the poet and novelist who spent most of his life in Béarn and the Basque country, and the Landes poet Jean Rameau as examples. Even today, the Aquitaine coast continues to inspire contemporary authors, including Emmanuelle Bayamack Tam, Marie Darrieussecq, Anne-Marie Garat and Chantal Thomas, a French novelist who spent her childhood and adolescence in Arcachon. On the men's side, Bordeaux playwright Jean Anouilh charmed audiences with his plays, as did Hervé Le Corre with his thrillers. As for the ninth art, a comic book artist from Mont-de-Marsan stood out: Jean Harambat, whose work, En même temps que la jeunesse, was inspired by the regional sport of rugby.
Finally, what would literature be without publishers? In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, dozens of publishing houses offer novels, poetry and fine books! They all unearth pearls of art.
