garden side

A haven of peace for the writer

A corridor runs through the house and leads to a walled garden. In 1868, Renan noted sadly: ‘The great fig tree has died, and the three poplars that Mum had planted for her three children have died too.’  

In the 19th century, the baker who occupied the ground floor had built an oven against the northern boundary wall to bake bread. The building was so close to the front windows that Henriette Renan worried about the ‘most terrifying accidents’ it might cause on the second floor: ‘Please, dear Mum, be wary of that room; do take care to open either the door or the window frequently, as the baker’s proximity may cause such a noxious atmosphere to build up there.” It was in 1841 that François Le Bigot had rented the shop, the courtyard and the garden. When he began to worry about renewing his lease following Mrs Renan’s death, the writer reassured him: ‘My mother took the greatest interest in you; that is enough for me to be as favourably disposed towards you as is possible.’ Indeed, the baker’s family remained there until 1903. Grateful for this, Mrs Le Bigot staunchly defended her landlord following the scandal caused throughout the country by *La Vie de Jésus*. 

Now replanted with hydrangeas, rose bushes and cherry laurels, and framed by boxwood hedges, the garden presents a lush and intimate setting. To the east, at the rear of the house, it is bordered by a simple, elegant stone façade, dominated on the third floor by the ‘pavilion’ where the young Ernest used to live.   

It also serves as a venue for temporary outdoor exhibitions, showcasing projects by artists working with local schoolchildren. A welcome spotlight.

A few garden chairs and tables allow visitors to enjoy the tranquillity of the spot on the terrace on fine days...