Destinations

Iceland, a voyage by Jules Verne

For Jules Verne, the volcano Snaefellsjökull, three hours from Reykjavik, was the entrance to the centre of the earth. This monster, with its terrifying majesty, set the scene for the "Journey to the Centre of the Earth". Adventures that the author set in a land he had however never visited.

Savoie, as explored by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Savoie is the land of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's heart. An enchanting land of valleys, lakes and mountains that stretched out around the town of Chambéry. Its peaceful majesty captivated the phi-losopher, who settled there, on the threshold of his twenties, to follow his childhood love.

The Corsica of Guy de Maupassant

With its villages clinging to vertiginous hillsides and its nature in a thousand different colours, Corsica dazzled Guy de Maupassant. After his first literary successes, Corsica appeared to the young Maupassant as the most exotic of destinations: totally wild. An island that inspired several of his short stories.

Procida, Lamartine's island of love

Between Naples and the imposing island of Ischia appeared Procida, discovered by Alphonse Lamartine in 1811. He found refuge there following a storm, aged 18. Volcanic rocks rising dramatically out of the sea, narrow streets clinging to the hillsides, luxuriant gardens behind age-old walls; the romantic young author was conquered.

Trouville, Marguerite Duras' Normandy retreat

On the Côte Fleurie, Trouville stretches out in the shadow of its rival Deauville. A town that enchanted and comforted Marguerite Duras. Its narrow streets bustling with life, its restaurants, its majestic seaside villas... An ambiance that reminded Duras of the landscapes of her childhood in Indochina.