Writer and World War I soldier Maurice Genevoix enters the Pantheon on 11th November 2020
Opposite the Hotel des Grands Hommes this Wednesday 11th November 2020 there’s a very solemn ceremony being held for the arrival of the ashes of the poet, ecologist, soldier and writer Maurice Genevoix.
Not many people outside of France necessarily know of Maurice Genevoix, a World War I soldier who became a writer after being seriously injured in combat. His tetralogy The Men of 1914 is particularly famous and celebrated.
TRansferring his ashes in the Pantheon was the idea of French president Emmanuel Macron, and the ceremony will be broadcast live on France 2 (starting 4.30pm), as the general public is unable to be present because of the current pandemic.
The ceremonies actually last three days, with a his coffin being honoured in Les Éparges (not far from Verdun) on Monday 9th November, followed by a presentation of his ashes on Tuesday 10th November at the school where he started writing during his convalescence.
🇫🇷Visite officielle en #Meuse de Madame Geneviève Darrieussecq, ministre déléguée auprès de la ministre des Armées.
— Préfet de la Meuse (@Prefet55) November 9, 2020
⬇️Cet après-midi, Mme la Ministre déléguée s’est rendue à la Nécropole militaire du Trottoir aux Éparges pour une cérémonie militaire en hommage à Maurice Genevoix. pic.twitter.com/xHrliihl0K
Then, on Wednesday 11th November, instead of the initial 500 people due to attend in person, only 30 will be entering the Pantheon for the main ceremony, including members of the Genevoix family, and the French President.
Despite the reduced numbers, it is sure to be a very emotional moment for many people.
To learn more about the life of Maurice Genevoix, you might like to visit the Musée de la Marine de Loire in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, which has just inaugurated a room all about him.
And French speakers can watch a two-hour documentary called Maurice Genevoix – l’expérience combattante which includes lots of films and photos from the era, and interviews with the man himself, available on DVD via amazon.fr here.
And if you’d like to book a room at the Hotel des Grands Hommes and watch the proceedings at the Pantheon from your room on Wednesday 11th November 2020, here’s the link for the hotel’s website where you’ll find all the info you need.