Page 34 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

32  INTRODUCING PROVENCE

Writers in Provence

The Nobel Laureate Frédéric Mistral (1830–1914) was the 1920 Consumptive New Zealand short
story writer Katherine Mansfield
champion of the Provençal language, but better known recuperates in Menton (see pp102–3)
are the local writers who have captured the Provençal and writes Miss Bull and Miss Bull and Miss Bull Passion among
other pieces.
character: Alphonse Daudet, Jean Giono, Emile Zola and 1895 Jean Giono is born in
Marcel Pagnol. French writers such as Dumas and Hugo Manosque (see p186). Work like
used Provençal backdrops for their fiction; foreign writers The Man who Planted Trees evokes
the region.
also found inspiration in the region.
1892 The last part of
Thus Spake Zarathustra Frédéric Mistral
Alphonse by German Friedrich
Daudet Nietzsche is published.
He devised it after
traversing the path in
Eze (see p92) which
was later named
after him.
1869 Alphonse Daudet 1904 Poet Frédéric
publishes Collected Letters Mistral declared
from my Windmill, set in joint winner of
An early edition a windmill at Fontvieille the Nobel Prize.
of of of The Count of The Count of (see p147).
Monte Cristo
1844 Alexander Dumas 1870 Death in Cannes of
publishes The Count of Monte Prosper Mérimée, author
Cristo, set in the Château d’If, of Carmen, Bizet’s opera.
Marseille (see p156).
1840 1855 1870 1885 1900 1915
1840 1855 1870 1885 1900 1915
1907 Provençal
1862 Les Misérables by Victor 1887 Journalist poet, René Char,
Hugo is published. The early Stéphen Liégeard is born in L’Isle-
chapters are set in Digne-les- introduces the sur-la-Sorgue.
Bains (see p184). term, Côte d’Azur.
1868 Edmond Rostand,
author of Cyrano de 1919 Edith Wharton,
Ber American author of
Bergerac (1897) is born in gerac (1897) is born in gerac
Ber
Marseille (see pp154–6).
The Age of Innocence,
visits Hyères
(see p119). A street is
named after her.
Early Writers
For centuries, troubadour ballads and religious Edith Wharton
poems, or Noels, formed the core of liter-
ature in Provence. While certain unique
individuals stand out, it was not until
1854, with Mistral’s help, that Provençal
writers found their own “voice”. Somerset
1327 Petrarch (see p49) falls Maugham
in unrequited love with Laura 1926 British author W Somerset Maugham
de Noves in Avignon, inspiring buys the Villa Mauresque, Cap Ferrat,
his Canzonière poems. and writes Cakes and Ale (1930).
1555 Nostradamus, from
St-Rémy, publishes The Prophecies,
which are outlawed by the Vatican. Emile
1764 Tobias Smollett “discovers” 1885 Germinal published Germinal published Germinal Zola
Nice. (He published his book, Travels by Emile Zola, boyhood
thr
through France and Italy, in 1766.) ough France and Italy, in 1766.) ough France and Italy
thr friend of Cézanne, as
1791 Marquis de Sade, the original part of his 20-novel
sadist, publishes Justine, written Petrarch’s Laura cycle, The Rougon-
while imprisoned in the Bastille. de Noves Macquarts (1871–93),
set partly round Aix.