Literature
Simenon a writer at Terre-Neuve
Between 1940 and 1943, the celebrated writer Georges SIMENON lived at Terre-Neuve, and there wrote numerous novels. It was here that he started his first autobiographical work "PEDIGREE". One can still see the very lovely XVIII century desk on which he worked. His friend the painter Maurice de VLAMINCK often came to Terre-Neuve to visit him.
It was in the forest of Vouvant, then at the Château de Terre Neuve in Fontenay le Comte, at Saint Mesmin le Vieux and lastly at the Hôtel des Roches Noires in Sables d'Olonne that the writer won his fame and reputation as a great novelist of French literature. It was during this period that he wrote several of his major works such as "La vérité sur Bébé Donge", "L'aîné des Ferchaux"...
Without doubt, the complex ties a writer has with the places he frequents are not always apparent.It was a stay at Les Sables d’Olonne that initiated "Fils Cardinaud" in 1942 then "Les vacances de Maigret" in 1948.
