Michel Vieuchange
Encyclopedia
Michel Vieuchange, born Nevers
in 1904 and died Agadir
in 1930, was a French adventurer who was the first European to visit the abandoned ruins of the walled city of Smara
, in the interior of the Sahara
.
On September 10, 1930 Vieuchange set off on his journey of discovery into a largely unexplored region of North Africa. He was unsure of the exact location of Smara, nor did he speak Arabic or Berber
; languages of the few nomads in the region. Through severe hardship he reached his goal and returned to civilization on November 16 at the Moroccan town of Tiznit
, almost 400 km from Smara. Vieuchange died a few days later, weakened from dysentery
.
Fortunately he maintained a journal of his adventure, which was published by his brother Jean Vieuchange
in 1932 as Smara, chez les dissidents du Sud marocain et du Rio de Oro (English title: Smara: The Forbidden City).
In his early twenties, Vieuchange obtained a degree in Literature and wrote a first (unpublished) novel Hipparète that showed his fascination for the culture and history of Ancient Greece. He was also intrigued by the new movie industry and dreamed of becoming a film director after working as an assistant for Abel Gance
on Napoléon.
His expedition to Smara became an obsession to which he sacrificed everything, going so far as to have his gold tooth removed before travelling to Morocco and disguising himself as a Berber
woman to reach Smara. His desire for adventure was born of the idea that a man of letters should also be "a man of action". He was highly influenced by such French writers as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
, André Gide
, and Paul Claudel
. The latter wrote the preface to the French version of "Smara: The Forbidden City" when first published in 1932. The English version in its later reprint was prefaced by Paul Bowles
, author of the 1949 novel, The Sheltering Sky
.
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
in 1904 and died Agadir
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
in 1930, was a French adventurer who was the first European to visit the abandoned ruins of the walled city of Smara
Smara
Smara, also Semara , is a city in the Moroccan-Administered Western Sahara, with a population estimated at 42,056.-History:The largest city in its province, Smara was founded in the Saguia el-Hamra as an oasis for travellers in 1869. It is the only major city in Western Sahara that was not founded...
, in the interior of the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
.
On September 10, 1930 Vieuchange set off on his journey of discovery into a largely unexplored region of North Africa. He was unsure of the exact location of Smara, nor did he speak Arabic or Berber
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...
; languages of the few nomads in the region. Through severe hardship he reached his goal and returned to civilization on November 16 at the Moroccan town of Tiznit
Tiznit
Tiznit or Tiznet is a town in the southern Moroccan economic region of Sous-Massa-Draa , founded in 1881 by the sultan Hassan I. It has a population of approximately 50,000. Tiznit is well-known for its silver jewelry, daggers and sabres....
, almost 400 km from Smara. Vieuchange died a few days later, weakened from dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
.
Fortunately he maintained a journal of his adventure, which was published by his brother Jean Vieuchange
Jean Vieuchange
Jean Joseph Marie Vieuchange was a French adventurer and doctor, best known for preparing for publication the hand-written notebooks of his brother, Michel, describing his discovery of Smara in the Western Sahara in November 1930....
in 1932 as Smara, chez les dissidents du Sud marocain et du Rio de Oro (English title: Smara: The Forbidden City).
In his early twenties, Vieuchange obtained a degree in Literature and wrote a first (unpublished) novel Hipparète that showed his fascination for the culture and history of Ancient Greece. He was also intrigued by the new movie industry and dreamed of becoming a film director after working as an assistant for Abel Gance
Abel Gance
Abel Gance was a French film director and producer, writer and actor. He is best known for three major silent films: J'accuse , La Roue , and the monumental Napoléon .-Early life:...
on Napoléon.
His expedition to Smara became an obsession to which he sacrificed everything, going so far as to have his gold tooth removed before travelling to Morocco and disguising himself as a Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
woman to reach Smara. His desire for adventure was born of the idea that a man of letters should also be "a man of action". He was highly influenced by such French writers as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , officially Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint Exupéry , was a French writer, poet and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of France's highest literary awards, and in 1939 was the winner of the U.S. National Book Award...
, André Gide
André Gide
André Paul Guillaume Gide was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.Known for his fiction as well as his autobiographical works, Gide...
, and Paul Claudel
Paul Claudel
Paul Claudel was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholicism.-Life:...
. The latter wrote the preface to the French version of "Smara: The Forbidden City" when first published in 1932. The English version in its later reprint was prefaced by Paul Bowles
Paul Bowles
Paul Frederic Bowles was an American expatriate composer, author, and translator.Following a cultured middle-class upbringing in New York City, during which he displayed a talent for music and writing, Bowles pursued his education at the University of Virginia before making various trips to Paris...
, author of the 1949 novel, The Sheltering Sky
The Sheltering Sky
The Sheltering Sky is a 1949 novel by Paul Bowles. The story centers on Port and Kit Moresby, a married couple originally from New York who travel to the North African desert accompanied by their friend Tunner...
.
Partial bibliography
- Vieuchange, Michel. Smara: Forbidden City. [1932] New York: W. W. Norton & Co. Reprinted edition (1988). ISBN 978-0880011464
- Vieuchange, Michel; Claudel, Paul (preface). Chez les dissidents du Sud marocain et du Rio de Oro. Paris: Plon (1932).
- Vieuchange, Michel; Claudel, Paul (preface). Smara: Carnets de route d'un fou du désert. Paris: Phébus (Revised edition: 2004). ISBN 978-2859409982