In the footsteps of Pierre Loti in Oléron
Pierre Loti was a writer famous for his travel stories and novels, the best-known of which is undoubtedly “Pêcheur d’Islande”, published in 1886. He was born in Rochefort, but was buried on theisland of Oléron, in the garden of his ancestral home, in 1923. At the dawn of his fifties, he had bought back his family’s ancestral home in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron and regularly vacationed there. The writer, a member of theAcadémie Française, cited the house several times in his work, renaming it the “Maison des aïeules”, and even using it as the setting for his play “Juliette Renaudin”! On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Pierre Loti‘s death, theisland of Oléron pays tribute to him.
An exhibition at the island museum
The main event of this anniversary is an exhibition on view until December 10, 2023 at the Musée de l’île d’Oléron, place Gambetta in Saint-Pierre d’Oléron. Entitled “Pierre Loti, enfant de l’île” (Pierre Loti, child of the island), this exhibition will plunge you into the memories of this writer-traveler, thanks to his personal objects, rarely exhibited, and a sound immersion inspired by his writings. A visit to the museum is also an opportunity to discover the permanent collection, which showcases the island’s heritage since prehistoric times through over 500 objects evoking traditional island life and activities.
Free cultural programming all summer long
Pierre Loti explored and wrote about India, Tahiti, Turkey,Iceland, Brittany and… Oléron! To bring his work to life and help summer visitors travel, the museum and media library offer a range of cultural activities for all ages. Attend creative workshops: postcard-making (August 18), travel journals (August 16), pebble doorstops (August 11 and 28). On August 1, 8 and 22, listen to oriental tunes during a musical siesta. All day on August 2, prepare for the Indian festival of colors as if you were there! Learn all there is to know about the different types of travel journals and their characteristics at the conference given by Pascale Argod, a French artist and teacher-researcher at the University, on August 16 at 6pm. Also note that numerous multimedia resources on Pierre Loti and the regions he visited are freely accessible in the micro-folie, a nomadic digital museum invented at the Parc de la Villette and installed at the Saint-Pierre d’Oléron media library. All these activities are free, but most require registration! Find all the practical information in the online program at this link.
Photo “Pierre Loti exhibition” (credit: www.musee-ile-oleron.fr)
