Like all good things, this one happened completely by surprise. When I got back from lunch, I found the main Guernsey newspaper sitting on my desk. At first I thought my dear editor had decided to treat me to a nice afternoon read (I’ve always said the quality of life in a place is inversely proportional to how much you can find of interest in its local paper), but then I noticed a small notice marked in red highlighter. It announced that the Victor Hugo Society was meeting that very day at one of the island’s schools to discuss the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Toilers of the Sea, the novel by Victor Hugo (1802-1885). It’s one of the books Hugo wrote during his time in Guernsey, and it tells the story of Gilliatt’s adventures as he tries to win the hand of his beloved Déruchette by rescuing the engine of her uncle’s steamship. Naturally, I couldn’t stay indifferent to news like this, so I decided to go see what it was all about.
When I arrived, I discovered that in Guernsey, even a simple administrative meeting can’t happen on an empty stomach. On the table were slices of endive with blue cheese, and pastry smeared with a kind of refreshing yogurt dip, meant to represent the snow on which Déruchette wrote Gilliatt’s name at the start of Hugo’s novel. But the most impressive thing in the food department was actually the one thing you couldn’t eat. The very talented lady who volunteered to prepare the refreshments for the meeting had decided to take some stale bread and sculpt it into the shape of the octopus Gilliatt battles during his adventures (sorry for the spoiler). I immediately realized it would be a crime against the Francophile world if I didn’t join this society on the spot (and while I was at it, bring their average age down to 75). So after ten Guernsey pounds changed hands (Guernsey has its own pound, equal in value to the British pound), I became a full member of the society. After we ate, chatted and got to know each other, it was time to get down to business: the program of celebrations itself. As you’ll see below, if you happen to be planning a trip to France in early April 2016 and you love Victor Hugo (or you just feel like meeting me), you should start checking ferry prices to Guernsey.
Walking tours following in Victor Hugo’s footsteps
Walking, bus and taxi tours in and around Saint Peter Port (Guernsey’s capital) will visit places Victor Hugo especially loved, or places that appeared in his books. The tours will be led by specialists in the subject, including Victor Hugo experts and historians of Guernsey. Prices start at 7 pounds (as soon as I have more information about these tours, I’ll write about it).
Victor Hugo’s house in Guernsey
Hauteville House, where Victor Hugo lived during his exile in Guernsey, will reopen after being closed for the month. As soon as that happens, I’m going to write a post about the place.
Victor Hugo concert, April 2, 2016, at 7:30 p.m.
The concert will feature Canadian pianist, singer and songwriter Alain Lecomte, performing with the Guernsey choir, presenting music from the 19th century, the century in which Victor Hugo lived and worked. The concert will take place at the magnificent Saint James concert hall, built as a church in the 19th century. Ticket price: 10 pounds.
Meat and wine dinner for the children of Guernsey, April 3, 2016, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
A lunch for 200 people, priced at 5 pounds, paying homage to the meal Victor Hugo organized for the poor children of Guernsey. Here too, all proceeds go to the local charity Caritas. The meal will be accompanied by live music and even bits of drama (and I don’t mean drama in the sense of a sitcom, but excerpts from Hugo’s own plays performed for the diners). The meal will take place on Market Inner Street.
“Soul of the Sea”, April 5, 2016, at 7:30 p.m.
A reading of the poem “Soul of the Sea”, based on Victor Hugo’s novel, accompanied by a lecture on the connection between the plot of Toilers of the Sea and the historical events in Guernsey that took place while the book was being written. The event will be held at the Princess Royal Art Center and costs 10 pounds.
Exhibition of Victor Hugo’s caricatures from his time in Guernsey
The exhibition will run daily from April 2 through April 10, 2016, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and will feature 24 caricatures of Victor Hugo, drawn by some of France‘s finest artists. The exhibition will take place on Market Inner Street, and admission is free.
Victor Hugo’s Guernsey
The exhibition will run daily from April 2 through April 10, 2016, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the historic Priaulx Library, which is worth a visit regardless of the exhibition. The exhibition features photographs and objects related to Victor Hugo’s years of exile in Guernsey. Admission is free.
How to get there?
Ferry: you can take a ferry from Saint-Malo or from Dielette.
Flight: you can get there from London or Dinard using Aurigny airlines.
See you in Guernsey!