Writers,
musicians, painters…
Have all succumbed toVézelay's magic...
| some of them were just visitors, | |
others chose to live or to spend some time there… |
Girard de Roussillon (819-877) : Hero epic, founder of the abbey of Vézelay (858-859). He inspired by many «songs» of gestiture.
Saint-Bernard de Clairvaux (1090-1153) : On march 31st 1146, the founder of the cistercians, preached in Vézelay the second crusade at the place named "La Cordelle" where a cross is put up today.
Hugues de Poitiers : Monk in Vézelay around 1160, author of a «Chronique de l’abbaye de Vézelay»
Aymery Picaud : Clerc vagant, chaplain of Asquins et author of the " Liber Sancti Jacobi " and of the first guide for pilgrims of Santiago de Compostella.
Théodore de Bèze (1519-1605) : Born in Vézelay, a disciple of Calvin, descendant of a family of masters of forging mills from "nivernais" and notables of vézelay.
| Vauban (Sébastien Le Preste) (1633-1707) : Marechal of France, born in St Léger (Morvan), author of a «description de l’élection de Vézelay » (1696), book treating about country poverty. Author of a censured publication the « Dîme royale » proposing the reform of the tax system. He had acquired in 1678 the castle of Bazoches and had installed a workshop of drawing to design there some of the most famous fortifications. |  |
Edme Etienne Desfourneaux (1767-1849) : Général of Empire born in Vezelay, he appears among the 660 names engraved on the Triumph Arc inParis.
| Eugène Viollet-Le-duc (1814-1879) : Architect and town planner charged by Prosper Mérimée, then inspector of the "Monuments historiques", of the restoration of the abbey of Vézelay. the building site lasted 20 years (1840-1860). |  |
Adolphe Guillon (1829-1896) : Painter and landscape designer , made many sketches of the sites and characters of Vézelay between 1875 to 1895.
| Romain Rolland (1866-1944) : Man of letters born in Clamecy, Nobel prize-winner for literature in 1916, lived in Vézelay, rue St Etienne, from 1938 to 1944. Author of the books "Au dessus de la mêlée", "Colas Breugnon", "jean-Christophe", novel in 10 volumes. A museum of modern art will shortly opened in the house he lived in.His house, opened to the public, is a museum of modern art " Musée Zervos " where we can discover the most beautiful details of the collection bequeathed to the city of Vézelay by Christian Zervos. |
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Paul Claudel (1868-1955) : Diplomat and writer who stayed on many occasions at his friend Romain Rolland's house.
D.E Ingelbrecht (1880-1965) : Composer and conductor who founded the French National Orchestra. He lived "rue St Etienne".
Georges Bataille (1897- 1962) : Man of letters who arrived in Vézelay in 1943. He is buried in the cemetery of Vézelay.He lived "rue de l’Hôtel de ville".
Le Corbusier (1887-1965) : famous french architect who stayed in Vézelay to his friend Badovici ; his influence is sensitive in the transformation of several houses in Vézelay.
Jean Badovici (1893-1957) : Architect, friend of Christian Zervos, he lived and transformed 4 houses in Vézelay according to concepts ' of the architecture of the years 1930.
Henri Petit (1900-1978) : Philosopher , radio journalist, old resistant and Great National Price of Letters. In Syria, he wrote "Vézelay", an evocation inspired of his burgundian "home port".
| Yvonne et Christain Zervos : Founders and publishers of the « cahiers d’art», bequeather their collection of contemporary art to the town of Vézelay in 1970. They have built up the collection in the period between 1920 and 1960. They lived in the Hamlet of "la Goulotte" ; Today the house is managed by the foundation Zervos which organize every summer some exhibitions. The impending opening of a museum (autom 2005) will afford visitors to discover the main pieces of the legacy amind the most important artists from the 20th century : Balla, Brauner, Calder, Chagall, Giacometti, Hélion, Kandinsky, Laurens, Léger, Mirò, Picasso… |  |
Jules Roy (1907-2000) : Novelist and man of letters who lived in Vézelay, close to saint Marie-Madeleine, to whom he dedicated pages of "an ungovernable love". His house located "rue des Ecoles" is now a house of writer open to the public.He is buried in the cemetery of Vézelay.
Max-Pol Fouchet (1913 – 1980) : Poet and art critic, radio and télévision broadcaster. He lived "Rue des écoles". He is buried in the cemetery of Vézelay.
Maurice Druon (1918 ) : Writer, politician and french academician . He wrote the text of the last "Sound and Lights " of Vézelay.
Maurice Clavel (1920-1979) : Man of theater , novelist and philosopher, former chief FFI, he took part with Sartre in the creation of the newspaper "Liberation". He lived first in Vézelay, then in Asquins. He is buried in the cemetery of Vézelay.
Mstislav Rostropovitch (1927- 2007) : During winter 1990-1991, the famous musician recorded in the basilica of Vézelay the integral of the "Continuation for violoncelo alone" of Bach
