Nestled within the coronary heart of Berry, George Sand’s home in Nohant-Vic is far more than only a residence: it’s a place steeped in historical past, inspiration, and creativity.
This household residence served as the author’s favourite retreat, the place she composed a lot of her work surrounded by the best inventive figures of her time, from Frédéric Chopin to Eugène Delacroix. Now preserved as a valuable testomony to France’s literary heritage, the house invitations guests to step into the non-public world of George Sand. It’s additionally the proper concept for a day journey (or longer in the event you’d like!), simply accessible by INTERCITÉS practice from Paris.
What’s the historical past of George Sand’s Home? How will you go to it? What’s there to see? Observe the information!
Go to George Sand’s home
From Paris, you’ll be able to take the INTERCITÉS practice from Austerlitz Station and get off at Châteauroux (2 hours and 10 minutes). From there, take bus line F to the Maison de George Sand, getting off on the “D943” cease in Nohant-Vic (half-hour).
The home is open year-round, however to benefit from the backyard, it’s finest to go to when the climate is sweet.
For a extra intimate go to, select spring or fall—two seasons when you’ll be able to benefit from the web site in a extra peaceable setting.
Whereas the gardens are open to the general public freed from cost and with no reservation, the George Sand Home can solely be visited as a part of a guided tour. To make sure you may get in, it’s finest to e-book a tour time slot.
Plan your practice journey
You may attain the Maison de George Sand by way of the INTERCITÉS community, which serves greater than 140 cities in France.
From Paris, it takes about 3 hours to get there by taking an INTERCITÉS practice from Austerlitz Station to Châteauroux Station; there are 10 round-trip trains per day. Then take a bus (Line F) to the “D943” cease. Schedules fluctuate by day, so test your ordinary route-planning web sites.
Touring by practice is handy, eco-friendly, stress-free, and really pleasant. Be certain that to plan your journey rigorously:
Preserve your tickets useful
Whether or not you’re boarding the practice or in case of a ticket inspection on board, preserve your tickets simply accessible. Be at liberty to make use of the SNCF Join app to have them in your telephone always.
Benefit from the journey
Benefit from the journey and the surroundings to loosen up or have time! Deliver one thing to learn or obtain a TV present. The INTERCITÉS Wi-Fi portal additionally gives a wide array of leisure content material: TV exhibits, films, video games, and extra. You should definitely carry your headphones so that you don’t disturb different passengers.
George Sand’s home
The Arrival of Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin in Nohant
It was in 1804, in Paris, that the girl who was not but often called George Sand—however as Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin—was born, the daughter of Maurice Dupin, a captain in Napoleon’s military, and Sophie Victoire, a lady of humble origins. Her paternal grandmother, Marie Aurore Dupin de Francueil, got here from the excessive aristocracy. She fled Paris and the revolutionary turmoil of the early nineteenth century for Nohant, a village within the Berry area, the place she led a peaceable life.
In 1808, the small household went to go to the grandmother, however the go to become a nightmare when Maurice Dupin died in a horse-riding accident. Mrs. Dupin had simply misplaced her solely son and needed to maintain her granddaughter along with her. In change for a snug allowance, Sophie Victoire agreed to return to Paris and entrusted Aurore’s guardianship to her grandmother.
When her mom died in 1821, Aurore was solely 17 and inherited an enormous property. She quickly married François Dudevant, with whom she had two kids, however the marriage was rocky: Aurore needed freedom, whereas François Dudevant needed to manage all the pieces; she was passionate in regards to the arts, whereas he had little appreciation for them… A lot in order that after ten years of marriage, separation was inevitable. Aurore, a contemporary lady, efficiently fought—at a time when breakups had been taboo—to safe this separation whereas retaining the home in Nohant.
Left: Portrait of Aurore Dupin from 1810 by her grandmother, Musée de la Vie Romantique, Paris.
On the suitable: a portrait of George Sand (Aurore Dupin) from 1838 by Auguste Charpentier
The place does George Sand’s pen title come from? 🤔
In 1831, Aurore had an affair with Jules Sandeau. The couple turned journalists for Le Figaro and signed their articles underneath the title J. Sand. So when Aurore wrote her first e-book, Indiana, she naturally stored the surname Sand however selected the primary title George, which for her was synonymous with the Berry area; its etymology which means “one who works the land.” George Sand was born!
In her books, she explores the standing of ladies, a novel theme for the time. The mixture of this new theme, coupled along with her lovely writing fashion and the intrigue surrounding this “George Sand” whom nobody knew, rapidly made her books a hit.
Life in Nohant
George Sand succeeded in reworking Nohant right into a vibrant cultural hub. She cherished entertaining and being surrounded by folks. It was due to this fact solely pure that she invited many pals—a few of them fairly well-known—to stick with her. Among the many notable figures who stayed at Nohant had been Delacroix, Dumas fils, Liszt, Balzac, Flaubert, and Chopin, who shared her life for 9 years and composed almost two-thirds of his work on this home!
Though the home is within the countryside, life there’s something however secluded: Sand, a resolutely fashionable lady, introduced Parisian sophistication to her residence in Berry, even going as far as to put in a theater! All of the friends and servants had been thus invited to carry out on the stage at Nohant, giving our author the chance to check out her new performs. Her son, with whom she shared a really shut bond, developed a ardour for puppets and created some 150 characters, which he rigorously staged for the friends.
Whereas everybody went about their enterprise within the morning, everybody gathered for dinner, which was served pretty early, round 5:30 p.m. To move the time in the course of the lengthy evenings, we performed music, sang, learn aloud, drew… Nohant was a timeless place the place life was good.
A exceptional backyard
No go to to Nohant can be full with out exploring its gardens. They now cowl 6 hectares, however in George Sand’s day they stretched over 250! The backyard consists of three sections: a proper, classical space, a vegetable backyard, and an orchard. The author, who cherished nature, had a rose backyard and maintained a really massive vegetable backyard to feed her friends.
The property can be notable for its household cemetery, which is residence to the grave of George Sand, who rests perpetually on this enchanting place she cherished so dearly.
Since 1961, the property has been administered by the Centre des monuments nationaux, which is liable for its administration and preservation.
The backyard is open to everybody with no reservation, whereas the home might be explored throughout guided excursions supplied a number of instances a day.
Get a reduction while you present your Intercités practice ticket 👍
As a part of a partnership between Intercités and the Centre des monuments nationaux, upon presentation of your practice ticket dated throughout the final 5 days, you’ll obtain a decreased price of €7.50 as a substitute of €9.
Upon presentation of your INTERCITÉS practice ticket, you’ll obtain as much as 20% off admission to chose monuments within the areas you journey by, such because the Palais Jacques Cœur or the fortress and ramparts of Carcassonne:
