`lES mISéRaBlES` By vIcToR hugo - Cité de l`Économie et de la

Brussels co mmemo rates 150 y ea rs o f ‘Les Misérables ’
sized for victor hugo
PRESS KIT
contents
Brussels commemorates 150 years of ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo p. 3
On the programme
p. 4
Speech by the Ambassador of France in Belgium
p. 5
I. Les Misérables, Victor Hugo and Brussels: a strong connection
p. 6
II. Walk : in the footsteps of Victor Hugo
p. 8
III. Book : In the footsteps of Victor Hugo between Brussels and Paris p. 12
IV. Brusselicious, gastronomic banquet : les Misérables
p. 13
V. Events «Les Misérables : 150th anniversary»
• Gastronomy
p. 15
• Exhibitions
p. 15
• Conferences
p. 17
• Film
p. 19
• Theater
p. 20
• Guided tours
p. 21
Contacts
p. 23
Attachment P. 24
Brussels commemorates 150 years
of ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo
Les Misérables is one of the greatest classics of world literature. The masterpiece by Victor
Hugo also remains very popular thanks to the musical version and the many movies.
Over thirty films have been made of ‘Les Miserables’ and Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) is currently shooting a new
version with a top cast.
In March, it is exactly 150 years since ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo was published. Not in Paris as is often assumed,
but in Brussels. The first theatrical performance of ‘Les Misérables’, an adaptation of the book by his son Charles, also
took place in Brussels.
In addition to these two premieres of ‘Les Misérables’, Brussels played a crucial role in Victor Hugo’s life and his career
as a writer and thinker. Closely related to Hugo’s connection with Brussels is also his call for a United States of Europe. In
those days a utopia, but one and a half centuries later, Brussels is the capital of a united Europe.
3
On the programme
To mark the 150th anniversary of ‘Les Misérables’ there are lots of events on the programme, from the purely literary to
the gastronomic. Cinematek is holding a movie special on Victor Hugo and the Brussels Town Hall forms the backdrop for
a major colloquium with some impressive speakers. At the Théâtre Royal du Parc, where Victor Hugo occasionally attended an evening of theater and spectacle, in the autum, they will be staging is a new version of ‘Les Misérables’. And the
renowned puppet theater Toone will be staging Ruy Blas, one of Victor Hugo’s main theatre plays.
Highlights in the programme are also the gourmet banquets of ‘Les Miserables’, which are also part of the gastronomic
theme year Brusselicious. The publication of “Les Miserables” was such an overwhelming success at the time that Hugo’s
publisher Brussels organized a large banquet with prominent locals and journalists from across Europe. During the banquet in March, historic recipes from the time of Hugo will be recreated. For the second banquet at the end of May in the
Galeries Saint-Hubert, the gastronomic inspiration will come from Florian Hugo. The great-grandson of Victor Hugo is
coming specially from New York, where he runs the restaurant Cognac.
During the theme year devoted to Victor Hugo and Les Misérables, some museums will be putting their documents about
Victor Hugo prominently on display. At present, the small exhibition ‘Les Miserables 1862 -2012’ is already running at
the Librarium of the Royal Library of Belgium. Likewise, the new Museum of Arts and Manuscripts focuses on Victor Hugo
and at the Museum of the National Bank of Belgium it will be possible to see, inter alia, that the author of Les Misérables
was then one of the main shareholders in the National Bank. A complete overview of events can be found in the event
brochure about the 150th anniversary of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.
There is a convenient new map (EN, FR, NL and D) with a marked city walk in the footsteps of Victor Hugo. The starting
point is the Grote Markt where Hugo lived at two places. After that, it visits some classics such as the Cathedral and the
Galeries St. Hubert, as well as the Belga Queen and some of the addresses of his mistresses are on the route.
The map costs 0.5 euro and is available from the tourist offices of VISITBRUSSELS.
Quite a few guide organizations have made the life of Victor Hugo a theme for a walk, which is available on request for
groups and on certain dates for individuals as well.
For the occasion, VISITBRUSSELS is publishing an event brochure and on the website www.lesmiserables150.be
you can find all the information about the anniversary year. There is also a press page with a digital version of the press
kit in 3 languages and a number of photos that may be used royalty-free.
We wish you a pleasant voyage of discovery in the footsteps of Victor Hugo!
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SPEECH BY THE AMBASSADOR
OF FRANCE IN BELGIUM
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour and a privilege to welcome you here today to the “Residénce de France” on such an illustrious occasion.
2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Misérables”. In fact, it was published here in
Brussels on the 30th of March 1862! This literary masterpiece has gained renown all over the world. It has become a
hugely popular work thanks in particular to the musical, the play, the films or even the music that it has inspired.
To mark this 150th anniversary of the publication of Les Misérables, a string of initiatives have been launched by associations or local authorities, by individuals who harbour a passion for Victor Hugo and his work, taking the form of a broad
spectrum of events between Paris and Brussels. Exhibitions are in the pipeline in Montreuil-sur-mer for example, or again
in Waterloo,
Kris Clerckx can probably be described as Victor Hugo’s number one fan. He came to see us around a year ago. He won
us over with his project on Les Misérables and convinced us to become involved in the organisation of a Victor Hugo programme. He has served as the lynchpin between all the events.
It was only natural for the French Embassy to lend its support to this celebration. Victor Hugo, a man of letters but also
a man of strong convictions, forced by circumstance and his courageous opinions to share his time between France and
Belgium, can in some way be considered as a symbolic link between our two countries. This anniversary gives us an
opportunity to rediscover his work and his ideas – in particular his dream of a united Europe, which today takes on particular resonance here in Brussels. It takes us back to a point in history, plunges us into the political and social climate of
an age in which the creator of Jean Valjean featured prominently.
The events programme that will be rolled out throughout 2012 (exhibitions, film projections, conferences, a banquet,
plays, publication of books and travel guides, cultural tourist trails, etc.) is both rich and varied.
In a few instants I will pass the floor to Kris Clercks, who will go through this programme with you in greater detail.
Before I do so, I would like to thank all those who have given their backing to these projects, and in particular the VisitBrussels teams for accepting to join in this celebration of Les Misérables and for all the efforts they have made to turn
the spotlight, this year and beyond, on Victor Hugo’s historical ties with Brussels and on the places that would almost
certainly have been his favourite haunts.
I hope that this year in celebration of Victor Hugo will be anything but “Misérable”.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Michèle Boccoz
Ambassador of France in Belgium
5
I.LES MISÉRABLES, VICTOR HUGO
AND BRUSSELS: A STRONG CONNECTION
Victor Hugo spent a total of around five hundred days living in Brussels. The first time, he came to admire the city as a
tourist, before Brussels went on to take on a different meaning in his life as a crucial location for his career as a writer and
a thinker. In 1862, this inspiring link with Brussels prompted the publication of ‘Les Misérables’. Whilst based in what is
today’s European capital, 150 years ago Victor Hugo was the first to launch an appeal to build a United States of Europe.
From tourist to political refugee
Victor Hugo first visited Brussels in 1837. At the time, Hugo was aged 35 with his record of literary achievements already
boasting such best-selling novels as ‘Le Notre-Dame de Paris’, ‘Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné’ and the stage play ‘Hernani’.
During his first visit to Brussels, Victor Hugo admired the Grote Markt/Grand Place and the cathedral, which prompted him
to include this first impression: ‘I am full of admiration for Brussels…’ in his ‘France et Belgique’ travel book.
Fifteen years later would see Victor Hugo make a return visit to Brussels under very different circumstances. Fleeing from
Paris after Napoleon III had seized power on 2 December 1851, Hugo managed to cross the Franco-Belgian border on
a forged passport under the false name of Jacques Firmin Lanvin. His mistress Juliette Drouet followed in his footsteps,
carrying the manuscript for Les Misères in her luggage, which Victor Hugo would go on to work up into ‘Les Misérables’
over the next few years to come.
Same as a number of other political exiles from the day, including Alexandre Dumas, Karl Marx and Multatuli to name but
a few, in Brussels Victor Hugo found a safehaven, a place that gave him freedom of thought. Spending over six months
staying at the Grote Markt/Grand Place, during his time there Victor Hugo wrote ‘Histoire d’un Crime’, ‘Napoleon-le-Petit’
and a number of poems that would be published in his poetry collection entitled ‘Les Châtiments’.
When Victor Hugo left Brussels in the summer of 1852, he made a powerful public speech that called for a united Europe
in no uncertain terms: “Belgians, some day there will be the United States of Europe.”
The creation and publication of Les Misérables
After leaving Brussels, Victor Hugo went on to spend close to a further decade living in exile on the Channel Islands. Based
in his new haunt of isolation, he continued to challenge Napoleon III, who he believed ruled France as an out-and-out
dictator. But Victor Hugo also decried injustices in other places around the globe. Amongst other things, he was up in arms
against the execution of freedom fighter John Brown in the United States, supported the guerrilleros in Cuba and called
on the Russian army not to invade Poland.
During his time in exile, Hugo also got back to writing his novel ‘Les Misérables’ which he had started on in Paris in the
wake of a popular rising. ‘Les Misérables’ turned into a scathing indictment of poverty, as well as being a history of Europe
and a tale of love and passion.
6
I.LES MISERABLES, VICTOR HUGO
EN BRUSSEL : EEN STERKE CONNECTIE
In 1861, Victor Hugo finally set foot again on mainland Europe. He went on to live in Brussels and in Waterloo, where
he completed ‘Les Misérables’ on the legendary battlefield. Immediately afterwards, in ‘Lacroix & Verboeckhoven’ he also
managed to find a Brussels publisher to put out his whopping manuscript.
‘Les Misérables’ was published on 30 March 1862 and immediately went on to become a blistering success across the
whole of Europe. In celebration of the novel’s success, Hugo’s publisher decided to stage a huge banquet in Brussels that
would be attended by scores of distinguished guests from at home and abroad. Among them was Fontainas, the mayor of
Brussels who lauded Victor Hugo, who in turn paid tribute to the city of Brussels.
More firsts for Brussels
The year after ‘Les Misérables’ was published, ‘Lacroix & Verboeckhoven’ also brought out what was to be first biography
on the French author: ‘Victor Hugo raconté par un témoin de sa vie’. The biographer was none other than Hugo’s spouse
Adèle. By this time, his son Charles Hugo had adapted ‘Les Misérables’ into a play for the stage. After being banned in
Paris, the stage production opened in Brussels.
Shortly afterwards, Hugo’s wife and his sons decided to take up residence in Brussels. Initially in Sint-Joost-ten-Node,
before relocating to Barricadenplein. Moreover, his son Charles went on to marry a Belgian girl in Alice Lehaene. It was
not long after that Victor Hugo became a grandfather. To Hugo, his grandchildren Jeanne and Georges are all the more fun
reasons to often travel out to Brussels. Nonetheless, he would go on to spend the biggest part of the year in the Channel
Islands for most of 1860s. Hugo continued to work with Lacroix publisher’s for a long time to come. In consecutive order,
this collaboration saw the publication of: ‘William Shakespeare’, ‘Les Travailleurs de la Mer’, ‘Chansons des rues et des
bois’ and finally ‘L’Homme qui Rit’.
One of the last scripts Victor Hugo was to write in Brussels, was a letter entitled ‘Aux Concitoyens des États-Unis d’Europe’. The letter was his statement of intent addressed to the Peace Congress, which he presided over shortly afterwards
in Lausanne. Again, Hugo was seen to launch the dream of a united Europe: “We want the United States of Europe, and
I conclude with these words: Freedom is the aim, peace is the result.”
In 1871, Victor Hugo ventured back into cut and thrust of the political debate. When the rising of the Paris Commune
was crushed, Hugo invited the insurrectionists to come out to Brussels. An invitation that proved to be somewhat unduly
politically charged and ended up seeing his home at Barricadenplein being pelted with stones during the night of 27th
of May. King Leopold II had an uneasy situation on his hands. Preferring not to see mounting tensions with France, he
ultimately decided to have Victor Hugo expelled. A woebegone farewell, but Brussels has not forgotten about Victor Hugo
in the slightest. As you are exploring the city, you will come across plenty of traces of the great French novelist, with a
whole host of commemorative events scheduled in 2012.
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II. WALK :
«IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VICTOR HUGO»
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If you want to follow in Victor Hugo’s footsteps by yourself you can buy the
walking map “VISITBRUSSELS sized for Victor Hugo” at VISITBRUSSELS (0,50€)
FR / EN
SIZED FOR VICTOR HUGO
VISITBRUSSELS
• BIP - Rue Royale 2-4 - 1000 Brussels
• Hôtel de Ville - Grand-Place - 1000 Brussels
50€
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Traces of Victor Hugo on the route of the walk (1> 18)
Grand Place and town hall (1)
On his first visit to Brussels in 1837, Victor Hugo recorded in his journal the following impression of the Grand-Place and
the Gothic town hall: “The town hall of Brussels is a jewel, a dazzling fantasy dreamed up by a poet, and realised by an
architect. And the square around it is a miracle.”
Town Hall, Grand Place, +32 2 548 04 47
The Windmill (2)
Number 16, Grand Place is one of the seven houses behind the monumental façade of the House of the Dukes of Brabant.
Hugo stayed here in January 1852, at the beginning of his six-month exile in Brussels.
The Windmill, 16 Grand-Place
The Pigeon (3)
After barely one month in his room at the Windmill, Hugo moved to the address next door, where he had taken a much
larger room on the first floor. Overlooking the Town Hall, Hugo wrote «L’Histoire d’un crime» and «Napoléon-le-Petit’. Today the building is home to a chocolate shop and a lace shop.
The Pigeon, 26-27 Grand-Place
Galeries St-Hubert/Taverne du Passage (4)
In the mid-19th century, this was the longest covered shopping arcade in the world, and for French exiles, this was the place to
be in Brussels. One of the places where they met was the «Cercle Artistic et Littéraire» (Artistic and Literary Circle), nowadays
home to the Taverne du Passage.
Taverne du Passage, 30 Galerie de la Reine, +32 2 512 37 31 www.taverne-du-passage.be
8
II. WALK :
«IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VICTOR HUGO»
Museum of Arts and Manuscripts (5)
This new museum preserves and displays manuscripts and letters of eminent characters in world history. As far as Victor
Hugo is concerned, the museum holds a fragment of the manuscript of Napoléon-le-Petit. This is particularly relevant,
because Hugo wrote this inflammatory pamphlet against Napoleon III during his exile here in Brussels.
Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits, Galerie du Roi 3, +32 2 346 32 52 06, www.mlmb.be
Théâtre Royal des Galeries (6)
This 19th-century theatre was the venue for the first performance of Les Misérables.
Shortly after the publication of the novel in 1862, his son Charles Hugo and Paul Meurice staged the theatrical version. If
you spend an evening at the theatre, you should not forget to admire the wonderful ceiling by Magritte.
Théâtre Royal des Galeries, 32 Galerie de la Reine, +32 2 512 04 07, www.trg.be
Galeries de la Reine/Tropismes (7)
In this cosy bookstore, you can obviously find work by Victor Hugo, yet you are also following in the footsteps of his amorous adventures. During his time in exile in Brussels, this was the place where his mistress, Juliette Drouet lived, and was
visited almost every day by Hugo.
Tropismes, 11 Galerie des Princes, 32 2 512 88 52 www.tropismes.be
Toone Theatre (8)
This little puppet theatre, somewhat hidden at the end of a narrow alley, has been staging classics of the French-language
or world literature for decades. Victor Hugo is one of the names that regularly appears on the billboard.
Toone Theatre, 6 Impasse Schuddeveld, +32 2 511 71 37 www.toone.be
rue de la Fourche (9)
In the 19th century, Brussels had quite a few clandestine printshops, which were notorious for their illegal versions of the
best-selling books. At least one of them was in this street, where Victor Hugo saw copies of his own books on sale, with
no prospect of seeing royalties from them. But he found consolation in one of the many cafes in this area.
Hotel Dominican(10)
This historic building, which was completely renovated a few years ago and is now a hotel, was home to French painter
Jacques-Louis David during his ten years in exile. In Les Misérables, Victor Hugo wrote about the difficulties facing David
during his exile.
Hotel Dominican, 9 rue Leopold, +32 2 203 08 08, www.thedominican.be
Belga Queen (11)
This trendy restaurant is a gastronomic concept by Antoine Pinto, which combines historic rooms with more fashionable
style. The Belga Queen in Brussels used to be the Hôtel de la Poste, where Hugo stayed on some of his later visits to Brussels.
Belga Queen, 32 rue Fossé aux Loups, +32 2 217 21 87 www.belgaqueen.be
9
II. WALK :
«IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VICTOR HUGO»
City Walls in the Radisson Hotel (12)
During his time here, Hugo advocated conservation of the medieval city walls, which can be seen nowadays in a highly
modified form in the lobby of the Radisson Hotel.
Radisson Hotel, 47 rue Fossé aux Loups, +32 2 219 28 28 www.radissonblu.com
Museum of the Belgian National Bank (13)
Victor Hugo invested a large proportion of his wealth in shares in the newly founded Belgian National Bank. Documents
on Hugo’s financial transactions have been preserved.
Museum of the Belgian National Bank, 10 rue du Bois sauvage, + 32 2 221 22 06, www.nbbmuseum.be
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (14)
Already on his first visit, Victor Hugo was fascinated by this church, which, like the Notre-Dame in Paris, was built in his favourite Gothic style. He admired and describes the pulpit, the church windows and the singing of the choir.
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Parvis Sainte Gudule, 32 2217 83 45 www.cathedralestmichel.be
rue des Colonies - Lacroix & Verboeckhoven (15)
This used to be the address of “Lacroix & Verboeckhoven”, publisher of Les Misérables. The success of Les Misérables was so great
that the same year, a large banquet was held here with a large number of prominent personalities from Belgium and abroad. The
publisher Lacroix & Verboeckhoven was located at the place where the headquarters of the STIB is located nowadays.
Théâtre Royal du Parc (16)
This 18th-century theatre is one of the finest and most atmospheric theatres in Belgium. Victor Hugo’s play “Mangerontils?” had its world premiere here. His mistress Juliette Drouet played a few roles in this theatre.
Théâtre Royal du Parc, 3 rue de la Loi, 1000 Brussels, +32 2 505 30 30, www.theatreduparc.be
Chancellery of France - Hôtel de Lovenjoul (17a-17b)
In rue Ducale is the French chancellery, whose façade is the only example of French art nouveau in Brussels. The garden
of the Chancellery is adjacent to the French Embassy, located in the Hôtel Lovenjoul.
Chancery France, 65 Hertogstraat
Hôtel de Lovenjoul/French Embassy, 41 boulevard du Régent 4 place des Barricades (18)
This house on the beautiful neoclassical place des Barricades was the home of the Hugo family for a few years. Today, a
commemorative plaque reminds visitors of the presence of Victor Hugo, bearing his signature and the words: “I am the
brother of all people and the host for all peoples.”
4 place des Barricades
10
II. WALK :
«IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VICTOR HUGO»
These traces of Victor Hugo are not on the route of the walk (19 > 25)
Parlamentarium
This visitor centre of the European Parliament focuses on the history of European integration after World War II, and the
functioning of European institutions. At the beginning of the guided tour, there is mention of Victor Hugo who was already
dreaming of a united Europe.
Parlamentarium, 60 rue Wiertz, +32 2 283 22 22 www.europarl.europa.eu/visiting/en/parlamentarium.html
Antoine Wiertz Museum
This museum was originally the studio of painter Antoine Wiertz, who is one of the main representatives of the Romantic
movement in Belgium. Wiertz was repeatedly inspired by the oeuvre of Victor Hugo.
Antoine Wiertz Museum, 62 rue Vautier, 1050 Brussels, +32 2 648 17 18 www.fine-arts-museum.be
Porte de Hal
In the Middle Ages, the Porte de Hal was part of the outer city wall of Brussels. Inside this old city gatehouse is a fascinating museum about the history of Brussels. Hugo visited and described the Porte de Hal in 1865.
Porte de Hal, 150 boulevard du Midi, 1000 Brussels, +32 2 534 15 18 www.kmkg-mrah.be
Au Vieux Spijtigen Duivel
This historic inn dates from the mid-18th century and has since become a listed building. When you walk into the cafe, you
will be transported back to the days when Hugo, Baudelaire and the Uccle municipal council used to drop in here for a drink.
Au Vieux Spijtigen Duivel, 621 Chaussée d’Alsemberg, Uccle, +32 2 344 34 55, www.spijtigenduivel.com
Royal Conservatory of Brussels
The first director of the Royal Conservatory was François-Joseph Fétis, who had a decisive influence on Hugo’s musical
taste. Thanks to the concerts of Fétis, Hugo learned to appreciate the older classical works by Monteverdi and Pergolese.
And then there was the music student Hélène de Katow, with whom Hugo had a great deal of contact …
Royal Conservatory of Brussels, 30 rue de la Régence, +32 2 513 45 87 www.kcb.be
Bois de la Cambre/Soignes Forest
A trip in his carriage and a walk through this cathedral of beech were among Hugo’s habits in Brussels. During one of
these romantic walks with Juliette Drouet, he carved a heart with the initials V and J on a tree-trunk. And Cupid is still
at work today in the same place!
Bois de la Cambre, main entrance at the end of the avenue Louise
Writer in Residence “Project Victor Hugo’
For centuries, Brussels has been a haven for writers, persecuted in their own country for their ideas and opinions. In order
to preserve that tradition of hospitality and give it new impetus, the Brussels literary organization Passa Porta makes this
address available to foreign writers.
Writers’ Residence “Project Victor Hugo” Rue du Midi
For further information: Passa Porta, 32 2 223 68 32, www.passaporta.be
11
III.book: ‘Sur les pas de Victor
Hugo. Entre Bruxelles et Paris’
BOOK : SUR LES PAS DE VICTOR HUGO-ENTRE BRUXELLES ET PARIS (IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF VICTOR HUGO BETWEEN BRUSSELS AND PARIS)
An invitation to set off on a journey, or to be more precise, several journeys in the footsteps
of Victor Hugo, this book was designed to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of
his masterpiece Les Misérables in Brussels. The saga of Jean Valjean and Cosette, pursued
S U R LE S PA S
DE
relentlessly by the police inspector Javert, takes us to a series of locations and sites that we are
encouraged to revisit: the coast of France’s Nord region, the battlefield of Waterloo, Paris…: all
areas and places where Victor Hugo lived or that he visited on his many travels. His comings and
goings between Paris and Brussels also inspired his plays, poems and novels. This «Victor Hugo
Route» consists of eight stages, each designed to be weekend destinations: Brussels, Wallonia
and the Nord-Pas de Calais region, Picardy, the Normandy coast, the banks of the Seine in Normandy, Paris and its environs.
PROMENADE
ENTRE BRUXELLESS
ET PARIS
KRIS CLERCKX
Victor Hugo
KRIS CLERCKX is one of the highest-profile travel journalists in Belgium. His articles, including for daily newspaper De
Standaard, and his excellent TV reporting present tourism, cultural and historical topics in a lively and unique way. He
has been fascinated for years by the figure of Victor Hugo, and is the initiator, in Brussels, of events organized as part of
the 150th anniversary of Les Misérables.
De volgende weken en maanden verzorgt Kris Clerckx enkele lezingen en rondleidingen in Brussel. Hier alvast enkele data:
• 01/03/2012-6pm: lecture at the Foire du Livre at Tour and Taxis (fr)
• 09/03/2012-10am: guided tour in the footsteps of Victor Hugo and visit to the exhibition Les Misérables at the
Librarium in the Royal Library (in collaboration with the VUB, University of Brussels) (nl)
• 11/03/2012-3pm: short guided tour in the footsteps of Victor Hugo (in collaboration with bookshop Filigranes) (fr)
• 23/03/2012-10pm: lecture about Les Misérables, a master piece between Brussels and Paris (in collaboration with
the VUB, university of Brussels) (nl)
• 09/05/2012-6pm: Presentation about Victor Hugo and Les Misérables and the connection to Brussels at the
Museum of letters and manuscripts (fr/nl)
Website:
In connection to the travel guide about Victor Hugo there will also be a new website (www.TourVictorHugo.eu) with more
information about the travels of Victor Hugo. The webmaster of this website is Mikaël Couvreur, who earlier made the
website of the travel project Expedition Columbus, seen on VRT.
Travelling between Brussels and Paris:
Already two tour operators are making a trip in the footsteps of Victor Hugo.
• Touroperator ICTAM, based in Brussel and specialised in cultural trips: www.ictam.com
• And the touroperator SRC-Cultuurvakanties from Holland: www.src-cultuurvakanties.nl
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IV. BRUSSELICIOUS BANKET :
Victor Hugo - LES MISÉRABLES
31/05/12
«Reading is like eating and drinking. The mind that does not read wastes away, like the body that does not eat. « Victor Hugo,
Faits et Croyances (1840)
In 1862, Lacroix and Verboeckhoven, publishers of Victor Hugo in Brussels, organized a banquet to celebrate the success
of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. All the notables of Brussels and the press were invited. Victor Hugo presided over the
banquet with, on his right hand, the Mayor of Brussels and on his left, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It
was a great occasion!
In 2012, what better than an extraordinary meal to celebrate the 150 years since the publication in Brussels of this
iconic work? On 31 May, 2012, an authentic banquet will be held in the sumptuous Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. This
unusual event is part of the programming of the gastronomic year Brusselicious, and will be marked by the presence of a
prestigious guest ... Florian V. Hugo, the great-great-great grandson in direct line of the great writer Victor Hugo.
The Centre de Gastronomie Historique, in cooperation with Florian V. Hugo will bring you an unforgettable experience by
immersing you in the world of the great writer and poet. An authentic atmosphere and a gourmet menu will be developed
in accordance with the historical values of the nineteenth century. The many dishes and entertainment will transport your
taste-buds through time. Quality and excellence will be the keywords for the event.
The life story of Florian V. Hugo compares with that of his ancestors who were poets, painters, sculptors and goldsmiths.
Like his ancestors, he excelled in his specialist field: cooking. He realised this at the age of 12 when, nauseated by canteen
food, he decided to cook for his family, his friends and himself. Like Victor, Florian has always loved large, cosy family meals.
He began his training at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Ecully in 1993 where he graduated. He continued his apprenticeship
with Alain Ducasse, whose reputation needs no introduction, until 2003 before moving to New York. For two years, he
was the chef at the Four Seasons. Now he is the chef of the Cognac, a famous French brasserie in Manhattan.
A fifth-generation Hugo, Florian has always been proud of his lineage. In tribute to his illustrious grandfather, in October
2011 he published the book «Les Contemplations Gourmandes» in which he combines his passion and his legacy. It
contains a multitude of recipes that will appeal to all gourmets but also food-related sketches and quotes from Victor Hugo.
Many more surprises will enable you to discover the spirit of the Hugo family down the generations. (Florian V. Hugo., “Les
Contemplations Gourmandes», Neuilly-sur-Seine: Michel Lafon, 2011, 175p.)
The Centre de Gastronomie Historique, as its name suggests, specializes in period cuisine, and reconstruction of meals
from past centuries. Their research provides the foundations for the menu that will be on offer. Quality and accuracy will
therefore be the watchwords of this gastronomic rendezvous!
«I propose a toast to the great writer, the great poet, Victor Hugo!» Mr. Andre Fontainas, Mayor of Brussels from 1860 to 1863.
31/05/12
An initiative of the Centre de Gastronomie Historique and VISITBRUSSELS
Information and reservations on the site www.brusselicious.be
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert - 1000 Brussels
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
GASTRONOMY
Opening banquet: “le festin d’amour de Victor Hugo”
Friday 16/03/2012
The success of “Les Misérables” was so overwhelming that shortly after publication, Lacroix and Verbroeckhoven, Victor
Hugo’s publishers in Brussels held a large banquet attended by prominent local figures and journalists from across Europe. The extensive menu dating from 1862 is preserved and members of the Centre de Gastronomie Historique will be
re-creating the various dishes of the banquet in a historically accurate way. Of course, it will be the epitome of taste, and
have the necessary accompaniment of historic speeches and music.
This opening banquet will take place at the restaurant L’Eperon d’Or, the second banquet is organised in the framework of
Brusselicious, the year of gastronomy, and will take place in the Saint-Hubert Galleries (see chapter IV).
Organised by the Centre de la Gastronomie Historique
Reservations via T: +32 (0) 2 513 97 67
L’Eperon d’Or
Rue des Epéronniers 8
1000 Brussels
19:30
Price: €60 (excluding wine and/or other beverages)
EXHIBITIONS
Les Misérables 1862-2012
Until 15/04/2012
Manuscripts, letters, caricatures and other unusual documents about Victor Hugo will be taken out the archives of the
Royal Library this spring and exhibited in the Librarium, the museum about the history of books and writing.
Librarium in the Royal Library of Belgium
Bd. de l’Empereur 2
1000 Brussels
T: +32 (0)2 519 53 11
www.brb.be
Free admission.
Open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
Victor Hugo: Shareholder in the National Bank of Belgium
March to late October 2012
In the mid-19th century, Victor Hugo was one of the largest shareholders in National Bank of Belgium. A small presentation in the historic hall where the shareholders’ annual general meetings were held at the time, sets Victor Hugo’s shareholding in the financial context of the day. How much were the shares worth, what coins and notes did Victor Hugo use
to pay for purchases? And how much were prices and wages in those days?
Museum of the National Bank of Belgium
rue du Bois Sauvage 10
1000 Brussels
T: +32 (0)2 221 22 06
www.nbbmuseum.be
€5/p. Free during the weekends.
For a guided tour (of the whole museum): + €1/p.
From Victor Hugo to René Magritte: Brussels as a capital of arts
20/03/2012-15/07/2012
Besides the permanent collection, the new Museum of Arts and Manuscripts in the Galeries Saint-Hubert in Brussels is
holding an exhibition this spring about Brussels as a capital of art. Victor Hugo will feature prominently and the exhibition
will focus on his period of exile in Brussels. So the museum has a manuscript of Napoleon le Petit, a pamphlet that Hugo
wrote in 1852. After its publication he had to leave Belgium and headed for the Channel Islands. Other exiles in Brussels
are covered, such as Dumas and Verlaine, both also good friends of Hugo.
In the context of the 150th anniversary of Les Misérables, the museum is also hosting the following activities:
• 29/03/2012: documentary about Victor Hugo
• 09/05/2012, 18.00, lecture by Kris Clerckx about 150 years of Les Misérables in Brussels, based on the book “Sur
les pas de Victor Hugo” (Editions Racine)
Museum of Letters and Manuscripts
Galerie du Roi 1
1000 Brussels
Opening hours: Tue-Sun; 10.00-19.00 (Thursday to 21.00, closed on Monday)
Price: from € 3 to € 7
T.: +32 (0)2 514 71 87
www.mlmb.be,
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
The Oak of the United States of Europe
18/10/2012
Victor Hugo was one of the first thinkers to call for a united Europe. Also during his passages in Brussels, he championed
a united Europe. He already mentioned the United States of Europe in his farewell speech at the end of his first long stay
in Brussels. In those days, it may have been considered a utopia, but one and a half centuries later, Brussels is the capital
of a united Europe. Many texts by Victor Hugo refer to his dream of a United States of Europe and here, we only cite one
of his statements: “I would like to my life to be marked by a great act, and then die. Such as the creation of the United
States of Europe.”
On the Channel Island of Guernsey, at the end of Victor Hugo’s long struggle against the dictator Napoleon III, he planted
an oak tree that he called ‘Le Chêne des Etats-Unis d’Europe’ (the Oak of the United States of Europe). A powerful symbol,
and at the Bibliotheca Wittockiana, not far from the European quarter, in emulation of Hugo’s action, another oak of the
United States of Europe is to be planted. An oak derived from Hugo’s original oak in Guernsey.
The Bibliotheca Wittockiana is located in Woluwe and has a special collection of book bindings. Each year, several exhibitions are organised there. In 2012 at the end of the year an exhibition will be held about letters with passion.
Bibliotheca Wittockiana
Rue Bemel 23
1150 Brussels
T. : +32 (0) 2 770 53 33
[email protected]
www.wittockiana.org
CONFERENCE
“Les Misérables” by Victor Hugo: 150 years on…
Thursday 15/03/2012
Brussels Town Hall, so much admired by Victor Hugo, is the setting for an informative afternoon session about the committed
writer of Les Misérables. Among the fascinating guest speakers will be Robert Badinter, former French Minister of Justice.
The works of Victor Hugo inspired him to abolish the death penalty in France. Historian Roel Jacobs looks back to Brussels
at the time of Victor Hugo. Other fascinating guests include Jacques De Decker, Francis Sartorius and Serge Deruette.
Organised by the City of Brussels and the Riches Claires Library.
Brussels Town Hall
Grand’Place
1000 Brussels
15:00 – 19:00
Booking: the Riches Claires Library, T: +32 (0) 2 548 26 10 or [email protected]
Price: Free
This is a conference in French
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
Lettres d’Amour (Victor Hugo & Juliette Drouet)
Friday 16/03/2012
Laurent Tusseyre and Léonce Wapelhorst read out the love letters of Victor Hugo and Juliette Drouet, Hugo’s mistress here
in Brussels who was always to be found in his entourage.
On her arrival in Brussels, her luggage contained writings including Hugo’s Les Misères, a first version of what was published a decade later as ‘Les Miserables’. Thanks to Juliette, a masterpiece was rescued for posterity, although she was
thinking first and foremost about saving her beloved. On arrival in Brussels, she described her happiness as follows: “Cher
adoré, je te consacre la première feuille de papier blanc que je touche, je veux que le premier mot que j’écris dans ce pays
hospitalier soit un mot d’amour à ton adresse. C’est bien le moins que je puisse faire, puisque toutes mes pensées, toute
ma vie, tout mon coeur et toute mon âme passent à travers toi avant d’arriver aux choses de ce monde et de revenir à moi.
C’est donc bien vrai que tu es sauvé mon pauvre adoré, et que je n’ai plus rien à craindre pour ta vie et pour ta liberté?”
And there followed more love letters that she wrote from her room in what is now Tropismes…
Library of the Riches Claires
Rue des Riches-Claires 24
1000 Brussels
Reservation: Library of the Riches Claires, or T: +32 (0) 2 548 26 10 [email protected]
18:30
Lecture in French
Lecture: In the footsteps of Victor Hugo / Sur les pas de Victor Hugo
9/05/2012
“Les Misérables” was published in Brussels, but the story about the life on the run of Jean Valjean and Cosette, the orphan
girl, both pursued by Police Inspector Javert leads to many other locations: Waterloo, Villers-la-Ville, Arras, the French
coast, Normandy ... and of course Paris. In all these places, Hugo’s own life seems to have taken various turns. During this
presentation, we embark on a virtual journey from Brussels to Paris with Victor Hugo as a cultural and literary companion.
And for the whole story there is the travel book by Kris Clerckx: ‘Sur les pas de Victor Hugo’ (Éditions Racine).
Museum of Arts and Manuscripts
Galerie du Roi 3
1000 Brussels
www.mlmb.be
Lecture in French and Dutch
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
FILM
Victor Hugo on film
16/03/2012 – 30/03/2012
CINEMATEK is presenting some of the finest film versions of Victor Hugo’s work. Naturally, “Les Miserables” is among
them, including the versions by Le Chanois and Robert Hossein.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is also on the programme. And then there’s Francois Truffaut’s L’Histoire d’Adele H., based
on the diaries of Victor Hugo’s daughter.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
16/03 - 21u - LES MISERABLES (Le Chanois. 1958)
17/03 - 20u - THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (Leni, 1928)
18/03 - 17u - LES MISERABLES 1 (Hossein, 1982)
18/03 - 19u - LES MISERABLES 2 (Hossein, 1982)
20/03 - 20u - HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME (Dieterle, 1939)
21/03 - 16u - THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (Leni, 1928)
22/03 - 18u - HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME (Worsley, 1923)
24/03 - 16u - HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME (Dieterle, 1939)
27/03 - 19u - L’HISTOIRE D’ADELE H + inleiding 30’ (Truffaut, 1975)
28/03 - 16u - HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME (Worsley, 1923)
30/03 - 17u - RIGOLETTO (Gallone, 1946)
CINEMATEK
rue Baron Horta 9
1000 Brussels
T: +32 (0)2 551 19 19
www.cinematek.be
€3/pers.
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
THEATER
Les Misérables
20/09/12 - 20/10/12
Shortly after the publication of “Les Misérables” in 1862, Victor Hugo’s son Charles adapted the novel for the theatre, which
had its world premiere in Brussels. 150 years on, the Théâtre Royal du Parc, a place where Victor Hugo was often to be seen,
is staging a new, modernised version of Les Misérables.
Théâtre Royal du Parc
rue de la Loi 3
1000 Brussels
T: + 32 (0)2 505 30 30
www.theatreduparc.be
Play in French
Toone Puppet Theatre: Ruy Blas
October 2012
Ruy Blas is a romantic drama that Hugo wrote in the 1830s. A few years ago, the play was given a new lease of life in a film
with Gerard Depardieu.
Here in the atmospheric Toone puppet theatre, the story gets a Brussels touch.
Toone Puppet Theatre
Impasse Schuddeveld 6
1000 Brussels
T: +32 (0)2 511 71 37
www.toone.be
Every Thursday and Friday at 20:30
Every Saturday at 16:00 and 20:30
Play in French
On request in English and Dutch
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V.EVENts:
«150 YEARS OF LES MISÉRABLES»
GUIDED TOURS
Many traces of Victor Hugo have been preserved in the centre of Brussels. Several organizations offer guided tours “in the footsteps of Victor Hugo”, available in English, French and Dutch.
Victor Hugo: 500 days of exile in Brussels
From the Grand’Place to the Barricades (his family’s residence) going through the Royal Saint Hubert Galleries (where
his mistress Juliette Drouet lived) and other well-known sites, your guide will describe to you the places the poet haunted
and wrote about; some anecdotes, nice stories, quotations will be mentioned but also his writing genius, his legend and
his loves ... The walk could be completed with visits to some other sites or exhibitions such as the National Bank, the
Cathedral Saint Michael...
GBB
Meet in front of Brussels City Hall - Visitbrussels office - Grand’Place
Cost: 117 €
Reservations: www.visitbrussels.be
Official guides: [email protected]
Tel: 0032 (0)2 548 04 48
More information: www.guidesbrussels.be
Availability: all year round (except Christmas and New Year holidays)
Guided tours in English, Dutch and French
Literary itinerary: 150 years of “Les Misérables”, Victor Hugo in Brussels
Come and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of the masterpiece “Les Misérables” written by the famous
French writer Victor Hugo which was published for the 1st time in Brussels… We invite you to discover how the writer
spent time in Brussels and to understand the crucial role of our capital in the evolution of his career… Between history
and new anecdotes we will guide you through the various places around the Grand-Place where his trace still remains…
Your visit will be enhanced by the discovery of an authentic manuscript from the famous author in the Museum of the
Letters and Manuscripts, in the middle of the Royal Galleries Saint-Hubert.
The price of the entry and visit of the Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits is included.
Guided visit in French on 22/05/2012
For groups or visits in English : price on request
Ook op aanvraag voor groepen in het Nederlands & Frans.
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contacts
Practical details:
Martha Meeze
[email protected]
+32 486 53 31 81
Pierre-Olivier Massart
[email protected]
+ 32 475 53 08 07
In relation to the content:
Kris Clerckx - Initiator and author ‘Sur les pas de Victor Hugo’ Éditions Racine Lannoo
[email protected]
+32 474 23 25 17
Catherine Dardenne
Culture & Leisure Manager
[email protected]
+32 2 548 04 63
For further information about the book « Sur les pas de Victor Hugo-entre Bruxelles et Paris »:
Sandrine Thys
+32 (0)2 646 44 44
[email protected]
www.racine.be
Phototheque Online
www.visitbrussels.be/pictures
w w w. l e s m i s e r a b l e s 1 5 0 . b e
© VISITBRUSSELS
Photos Credits : VISITBRUSSELS / K.Clerckx / Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België
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Attachment
EVENT’S CALENDAR 2012 : Brussels commemorates 150 years of Les Misérables
EXHIbition
till 15/04
Exhibition “Les Misérables 1862-2012” at Librarium (Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique)
DIvers
March
“Semaine Victor Hugo” (Filigrane)
DIvers
01/03
Foire du Livre with the presentation of ‘Sur les pas de Victor Hugo’ by Kris Clerckx (Editions Racine)
MUSEUM
08/03 (till 30/10)
Victor Hugo: Shareholder in the National Bank of Belgium (National Bank of Belgium Museum)
WALK
09/03
Première ‘Victor Hugo’s Brussels’, guided tour in Dutch (UPV-VUB)
DIvers
15/03
Colloquium ‘Les Misérables de Victor Hugo: 150 ans après…’ Brussels Town Hall (Bib. Riches Claires)
DIvers
16/03
Lecture of the love letters of Victor Hugo and Juliette Drouet, Hugo’s mistress (Bib. Riches Claires)
CULINAIR
16/03
Gastronomic banquet “Le festin d’amour de Victor Hugo” (Centre de Gastronomie Historique)
FILM
16/03 (till 30/03)
Victor Hugo on film: Les Misérables – Hunchback of Notre-Dame. (Cinematek)
EXPO
20/03 (till 24/06)
From Victor Hugo to René Magritte. Brussels as a capital of arts (Museum of Arts and Manuscripts)
WALK
05/05
Literary walk (Vorming Plus)
BIKE
18/05
Literature by bike, with Les Misérables as thread (Broodje Brussel & Pro Velo)
GASTRONOMY
31/05
Brusselicious, gastronomic banquet: les Misérables (VISITBRUSSELS & Centre de Gastronomie Historique)
THEATER
20/09 (till 20/10)
Les Misérables (Théâtre Royal du Parc)
BIKE
21/09
Literature by bike, with les Misérables as thread (Broodje Brussel & Pro Velo)
THEATER
October
Ruy Blas (Toone Puppet Theatre)
DIvers
Autumn
Lecture of “Les Misérables” by contemporary writers (Passa Porta-Het Beschrijf- Entrez Lire)
DIvers
18/10
Victor Hugo, oak of the United States of Europe (Bibliotheca Wittockiana)
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