Charles Nodier, writer, librarian and member of the Académie Française (1780-1844)

Though his spirit may still hover near, there is no trace left today of the house at N° 7 Place Victor Hugo, Besançon, where this friend of humanity and romantic writer was born. His father, a lawyer, was mayor of Besançon and President of the Revolutionary Court. The young Charles, aged 11 at the time, delivered a patriotic speech in front of the Jacobin Club of the city. Having found his voice, the way forward was clear. At the age of 23 he was imprisoned for having written the pamphlet " La Napoléone". Appointed assistant librarian at the "Ecole Centrale du Doubs", 24 years later he took over the Direction of the Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal in Paris. The poets and writers, Lamartine, Musset, Vigny and Sainte-Beuve frequented his salon. In 1833 he was elected to the "Académie française". From among a large body of works, we can cite a volume of the "Voyages pittoresque et romantiques" which is dedicated to his native region.