How about we uncover a place honoring a writer? This is Place Roger Vailland. It sits quietly in Paris. This place is more than just a location. It is a tribute to a man of letters.
Place Roger Vailland is found in the Saint-Gervais quarter. It is in the 4th arrondissement. The square begins at 8 rue du Figuier. It is a modest size. It measures 34 meters long and 10 meters wide.
The Place Roger-Priou-Valjean is located close to line 7 at the Pont Marie station.
This Place Roger Vailland was created in 2003. It was carved from an area that was part of rue du Figuier. It was named in the same year. The square is named after Roger Priou-Valjean. He was a resistant and a municipal councilor. He lived from 1912 to 1999.
Let’s talk about the man behind the name of this place. Roger Vailland was a man of many talents. He was a writer. He was an essayist. He worked as a reporter. He also wrote screenplays. Vailland was born in Acy-en-Multien in 1907. He died in Meillonnas in 1965.
Vailland’s work includes novels and essays. He wrote plays and screenplays. He penned travel journals and poems. He kept a personal diary. Throughout his life, he wrote many newspaper articles.
In 1928, Vailland became a journalist at Paris-Midi. In the same year, he co-founded the journal Le Grand Jeu. He continued as a journalist until the war. He frequented literary circles. After the defeat of 1940, he joined the Resistance in 1942. He fought alongside the Gaullists and then the Communists.
After the war, Vailland moved to Meillonnas. He joined the Communist Party for a few years. He wrote a series of engaged novels. These included “Les Mauvais Coups” and “Beau Masque”. He also wrote “La Loi”. He also worked as a screenwriter. He collaborated with Roger Vadim and René Clément. Roger Vailland died of lung cancer. He was fifty-seven years old.
But the Place Roger-Priou-Valjean also has remarkable buildings and places of memory. The Hôtel de Sens and the Forney Library are located there. The back of the Lycée Charlemagne is nearby. There is also the Roger-Priou-Valjean garden.
So, as you stand here in Place Roger Vailland, consider the layers of history beneath your feet. Think about Roger Priou-Valjean. Think about Roger Vailland. This place is a reminder of the power of resistance. It reminds us of the importance of remembering those who came before us.