I am fortunate enough to be living (for the time being) in an extremely beautiful part of France. Although the region Rhône-Alpes is a relatively recent administrative invention, the diversity and beauty of its landscapes and its historically autonomous status (parts of it belonged to Savoie rather than France) have been attracting writers for centuries. This Friday I would like to introduce you to some of those and their favourite homes.





Finally, two villas for which I couldn’t find current pictures. The first, the ivy-covered manor house Boringe on the shores of Lake Annecy, completely captivated Hippolyte Taine. For twenty years he spent March to November there and wrote every morning in his study.
The second is on the shores of Lake Geneva, near Evian, where Anna de Noailles spent her childhood summers. It was here that she met Marcel Proust in 1899 and this is the place she returned to time and time again in her writing.

The information for this post comes from the beautifully illustrated book ‘Dans le pas des écrivains en Rhône-Alpes’ by Anne Buttin and Nelly Gabriel, published by Glénat. They mention so many other writers who lived, studied or passed through the region (Baudelaire, Camus, Huysmans, Stendhal, Simone Weil and many more).
Wonderful pictures. Rousseau’s country retreat looks particularly appealing.
I think I’ll have to go and visit some time when the weather gets better…
I suspect it wasn’t the royalties that paid for these palatial residences!
Funnily enough, that’s what I was thinking: what writer today can afford to live in such places? I suspect many of them were well-heeled to start with… which perhaps helped them to decide to turn to writing.
Rousseau was a guest there.
You are indeed a lucky lady dear Marina! 😉
I know I am!
Oh dear country retreat envy strikes again!
Sorry to do this to you…
Having lived in France for just over seven years now, I haven’t been anywhere I didn’t find to be both beautiful and inspirational. If I’m not busy writing or exploring the paints come out…
I wish I could paint too. Yes, that’s how I feel about France, just wish I could explore more of it.
Ah, painting. I’m not any good at it and don’t know the first thing about it but do it for myself and have fun. My little gravatar (I’ve never told anyone this) is a crop from an old painting attempt… 😉
They’re all absolutely marvellous, Marina Sofia. I think I’m going to move into Rousseau’s retreat…
How can I choose? But I think I would get more writing done at Rousseau’s country retreat at Les Charmettes.
What gorgeous places! Makes me nostalgic for the Lot et Garonne where I lived briefly. France does have some extraordinarily beautiful countryside.
And it’s surprising that, despite the population density in my region, you still find so many unspoilt rural areas and pretty villages.
Lovely pictures. Reminds me of so many lovely trips. Makes me homesick for France even though France was never actually my home.
Despite the notorious bureaucracy, I do love living in France – it is very beautiful and inspirational.
oh wow…really beautiful houses.. think my fav is the first one..
You’ll have to come and visit then – it’s a short walk away from my house!
Fabulous places – love ’em all 🙂
I wonder if there are any humble cottages of famous writers near these magnificent homes…? 🙂
Maybe a gatehouse or gamekeeper’s cottage? I’d be happy with that too.
🙂
Very, very beautiful!
I’ve been to Ferney Voltaire and the Charmettes.
There’s also Grignan, where Madame de Sévigné used to go.
PS there’s a billet about Ferney Voltaire on my blog.
I loved that – thanks for pointing it out! Chateau de Coppet in Switzerland is also close by and belonged to Madame de Staël. She had to flee over the border from France on foot, apparently.
I haven’t been to Coppet (yet)
Picture of Grignan:
http://mymoodyphotos.wordpress.com/2014/12/08/something-to-forget-todays-cold-grey-and-rainy-day/