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Le Paradou
“Le Paradou, an immense garden, woods, meadows, orchards, flowerbeds, and fountains, and streams that flowed into the Viorne… A garden abandoned for a century, the garden of Sleeping Beauty, where nature had become sovereign again…”
Excerpt from La Faute de l’abbé Mouret by Émile Zola
In 1875, the fifth volume of the Rougon-Macquart saga, La Faute de l’abbé Mouret by Émile Zola, appeared in all good bookstores. As usual, the novelist is a hit and the sales of the novel delight his publisher, Mr. Charpentier.
In 1880, the same publisher bought a small plot of land in the park of Royan to build a vacation villa. In honor of the novel, he named it Paradou, where the character Jeanbernat and his niece Albine live.
Unlike these two protagonists living in a derelict property, the brand new complex is the site of many festivities. Sarah Bernhardt was one of the regular guests and the house had a reputation for being cheerful and hospitable.
In 1895, the villa was sold and marked the beginning of its decline, making an unfortunate echo of the novel to which it was a tribute. The furniture was sold, the house was no longer maintained and although it was spared during the 1945 bombings, it did not survive the assault of a real estate developer’s bulldozers.
Today a vacation home has taken the place of the once perpetually festive residence. It is soberly named the Paradou residence in homage to the old building, thus recalling the illustrious past of the place.
Émile Zola stayed three times in Royan, which never passed a day without writing.
90 Boulevard Frédéric Garnier
The Paradou vacation residence at 90 Boulevard Frédéric Garnier welcomes tourists in an exceptional setting, right on the sea front.
The Fantrippers Buying Board
Game of Thrones music box
“Tin-tin, tin-tin-tin, tin…” Listen again to Ramin Djawadi’s cult Game of Thrones theme music with this beautiful music box adorned with beautiful engraving reminiscent of the series.
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Discover all the places La Faute de l'abbé Mouret on our map
By Damien Duarte
Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !