Historical authors
Gaston Fébus
For 60 years (1331-1391), the most famous of the Counts of Foix (after Henri IV) put down the sword a few times and wielded the pen with brio and dexterity. This great warrior, both hunter and seducer, was also a writer and poet. He chose Fébus in reference to Phoebus, the god of the arts, poetry and the sun. Fébus wrote the song Se canto, a veritable Pyrenean and Occitan anthem. He also wrote an incredible illuminated book on hunting and hunting techniques, used by princes and kings for three centuries.
Pierre Bayle
The Ariège philosopher was born in Le Carla in 1647 to a pastor who taught him Latin and Greek. He continued his studies at the Protestant Academy of Puylaurens, showing great interest in academics, before taking philosophy in Toulouse and theology in Geneva. A Protestant, Pierre Bayle fled Geneva in 1670 and settled in Rotterdam. His Dictionnaire historique et critique (Historical and Critical Dictionary), a major work designed to correct the errors of earlier dictionaries and authors, clearly exceeds its objective and takes radical positions. His other works include Pensées sur la comète and Nouvelles de la République des lettres. He died in 1706.
Raoul Lafagette
What's that statue in the garden of the Hôtel de Ville? This is a little-known man known as "Le poète des Pyrénées", born and died in Foix (1842-1913), a protégé of Victor Hugo and Alphonse Daudet. His first known poem was Les chants d'un montagnard. Lafagette was also involved in the political life of the Ariège region, but without much success.
Isabelle Sandy
Born Marie Isabelle Fourcade in Cos in 1884, Isabelle Sandy died at the age of 91. Her work is astonishingly abundant and varied: 47 published novels, over 250 short stories, 4 collections of poetry, 8 religious works and thousands of articles. A passionate singer of the Ariège and Andorra regions, a passionate lover of mountains and landscapes, Isabelle Sandy used all the strength and brilliance of her talent over more than 80 years to create a body of work that deserves to shine in the light of day. She is buried in the Saint-Martin-de-Caralp cemetery.
Adelin Moulis
The author of Ariège! He was born in Fougax-et-Barrineuf on June 20, 1896 and died in Mazères on May 4, 1996. He was a poet, storyteller in Occitan, folklorist, historian and, above all, a great lover and connoisseur of Ariège. He left behind a considerable body of work, which has been completely reedited. He is an absolute must for anyone wanting to know more about the sites, history and personalities of the department.
The Ariege on the page
Christian Bernadac
Famous historian and writer born in Tarascon in 1937 and died in 2003. He was a journalist with Europe 1, before becoming a television reporter. He covered the Algerian war for Cinq colonnes à la une. In 1972, he created the first TV news program on Channel3, later becoming editor-in-chief. He has written some fifty books, mainly on deportation and death camps. Some of his books and novels are set in Ariège.
Georges-Patrick Gleize
Born in Paris in 1952, he spent his childhood in Ariège with his grandparents. His postgraduate studies in Toulouse led him to a DEA in southern history, focusing on the Ariège countryside. He taught throughout France before returning to Ariège to teach at the Lycée du Castella in Pamiers. In 2001, he began a literary career with Editions Albin Michel, and has since published a number of "terroir" novels. He is interested in the rural world, "this France that we have lost, this past that is both near and far". An Ariège writer to discover and follow!
Olivier de Robert
Born in Paris in 1965, Olivier de Robert is a native of the Ariège region. And he's got the chops. Half storyteller, half actor, he brings Jaurès to life on stage, mixing politics, history and poetry. Our man, a historian by training, used to be a mountain guide. He also has a gift for writing, as revealed in his books of short stories and his only novel. A leading figure in the Ariège region, Olivier de Robert is always friendly and smiling - a fact that disturbs some and amuses others - and invites us on a journey of laughter and dreams.
Gilles Castroviejo
Poet, humanist, lover of French chanson, books and life: these are the words that could describe this author from the Ariège region, born in Albiès in 1949. Gilles Castroviejo has published some fifteen diverse works: bibliographies of Adelin Moulis, poems, works on aeropostale, talcum powder, poisons... He has an astonishing personal library and a collection of French music records and cassettes that would make a media library jealous. He took his love of books to the extreme by writing Le livre des livres d'Ariège, a colossal encyclopedia of everything ever published in the department.
Anne Brenon
Anne Brenon is a renowned historian, archivist palaeographer (specializing in ancient scripts), teacher, novelist and curator of French heritage, and above all a specialist in Catharism. The author of numerous works on the subject, she strives to show the true nature of Catharism, beyond clichés and ramblings. Her novels help to give a more accurate picture of the mentality and events of the period.
Beka
We should say "the" Beka, aka Bertrand and Caroline. Two highly talented comic-book scriptwriters who work as one. Of course, you've already read one of their works, because for over 15 years, they've been regaling us with their stories of the Rugbymen (3 million copies sold), the GEO BD series, the Le jour où..., dealing with Clémentine's life choices in a more humane and zen world. They also wrote the scripts for the "spin off" of the Comte de Champignac, a character well known to Spirou fans, who travels to the heart of history.
By Pyrénix and Petitfutos
Has Obelix fallen into the magic azinat? Yes, the famous little Gaul from Brittany and his fat friend (who's fat?) are a little bit... from Ariège! Albert Uderzo passed the torch to the Ariège-born Jean-Yves Ferri, who wrote the Asterix stories for 5 albums. He is now turning his attention to another French figure: General de Gaulle.
