Rochefort, France — Writer, naval officer, member of the Academy and inveterate collector, Pierre Loti was born in the scenic French town of Rochefort on the country’s Atlantic coast in 1850. His travels with the French navy took him far and wide from Tahiti to Turkey, Vietnam,  British India and beyond. He has been hailed by several critics as one of the best descriptive writers of his generation. He particularly was known for his exotic novels describing faraway places and faces. It would come as no surprise that he was elected to the French Academy for his writings in 1891. He learned of the news while he was aboard ship at the port of Algiers. His very picturesque hometown of Rochefort has in addition to fine medieval architecture and splendid  Atlantic Ocean views, the Musée Hèbre which is holding an exhibition devoted to Pierre Loti within the context of the Loti Year celebrating the 100th anniversary of the writer’s death. 

Loti was born Louis Marie-Julien Viaud and the exhibition is entitled, And Julien Viaud Becomes Pierre Loti, the Journey of the Flora to the Pacific, 1872. It traces his voyage, onboard the ship named the Flora, of the young midshipman during his first journey to the other side of the planet when he crisscrossed the Pacific, visiting Easter Island, the Marquesas and Tahiti during which he took note of how Westerners were bringing about the disappearance of ancient, traditional cultures. Wrongdoings that would devastate him and this acculturation of traditional societies would pre-occupy him throughout his life. He wrote a series of articles published in the periodical Illustration at the time and which today is regarded as precious information and insight into the indigenous cultures of the Pacific in the 19th century. 

The show and accompanying catalogue take a look at the quest for his late brother, Gustave, who lived in Tahiti, his encounters with the Rapa Nui culture of Easter Island, Queen Vaekehu of the Marquesas and Queen Pomare IV of Tahiti who is often compared to Queen Victoria of England, and who like her reigned for over 50 years. Loti would also make ports of call to Honolulu, Hawaii and San Francisco. His Pacific journey, particularly the unfruitful quest for his brother, culminated in his autobiographical novel, regarded as a masterpiece, Le mariage de Loti (The Marriage of Loti), published in 1880. Conferences, guided tours, encounters and Polynesian story telling are all on the agenda. The exhibition runs until November 4th. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. 63 avenue Charles de Gaulle 17300 Rochefort,Tel: + 33 (0)5 46 82 91 60. https://www.maisondepierreloti.fr/