It is in the middle of the vineyards of Bordeaux that François Mauriac had elected domicile, at the Domaine de Malagar, precisely
In the autumn, while the little music of the pruning shears can be heard in the surrounding vineyards, other harvests are organised in Malagar. Cultural, intellectual and musical harvest.
Each year, for three days, around a theme, discussions, debates and small concerts follow one another.
The spirit of François Mauriac hovers over the house and these Intellectual Harvests.
Malagar is away from the town of Saint-Maixant, on the D19 departmental road that links Langon in the south to Verdelais.
The wine estate and its small château became the property of François Mauriac's family in 1843, bought by Jean Mauriac the writer's great-grandfather for his land and his 20 hectare vineyard. François Mauriac became the owner in 1927, upon the death of his mother, and wrote many of his works there.
When he died in 1970, his four children bequeathed the house to the French State and the Aquitaine Regional Council, which is the manager, created a cultural centre which, based on the literary and cultural heritage of the academician, is intended to be an emblematic place for cultural action in Aquitaine.
The Regional Council of Aquitaine has created an association whose mission is the conservation and animation of the estate: the François Mauriac Centre in Malagar. Classified as a "historic monument" in 1996, the estate has benefited from major restoration and development work, carried out by the architects Éric Raffy and Jean-Pierre Errath, which was inaugurated on 12 September 1997.
In 1999, the François Mauriac Centre in Malagar organised its first cultural season and created the "Vendanges de Malagar". Since then, the public can come and discover on this "inspired hill" the estate that has remained as François Mauriac knew it. Schoolchildren and students come to deepen their knowledge of the novelist and journalist.
Malagar has been awarded the Maisons des Illustres label and is a member of the Maisons d'écrivains network. Its 4-hectare park is also listed, and the majestic lime tree in the courtyard has been awarded the title of Remarkable Tree of France.
Having recently undergone a major restoration project, Malagar is now equipped with digital tools that enrich the guided tour of the Maison and enable visitors to appreciate the site even more intensely.
As a reception and mediation center for schoolchildren and students, as well as a hub of documentary and digital resources, Malagar also gives pride of place to all forms of culture.
Domaine de Malagar - François Mauriac Centre
17, route de Malagar,
33490 Saint-Maixant
Tel: 05 57 98 17 17
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