French Literature Reviews - 2026

B. Lonjon, Colette, la passion du vin
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs

Bernard Lonjon

Colette, la passion du vin

(featuring previously unpublished letters by Colette)

Editions du Moment, 2013

172 p. / 14.0 cm × 21.0 cm × 1.6 cm

EAN: 9782354172305

Publisher's overview:

In her hierarchy of pleasures, Colette reserved a preeminent place for the divine nectar. Long before embodying the daring woman who took her destiny into her own hands, she was introduced to wine at a very early age during her childhood in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, in the Yonne department. Following in the footsteps of Montaigne and Rabelais, she elevated wine to a matter of high culture, thanks to her exceptional literary talent and feminine sensitivity.
The unpublished correspondence featured in this volume contains over a hundred letters addressed to Jean Guillermet, a publisher and winemaker from the Beaujolais region, and to Lucien Brocard, a wine and spirits merchant from Bercy, forming a true ode to wine. Colette recounts her encounters with the grapevine and winemakers, as well as her cellar visits, and does not hesitate to offer expert advice on food and wine pairing.
During her later years, when she suffered from osteoarthritis, she also used wine as a remedy. Through this reading, admirers of the author will rediscover Colette's life and passions, swept along by pages brimming with quintessentially French Epicurean delight.

The relationship between French literature and viticulture has a long history, with figures across the centuries engaging with the culture of wine as both an aesthetic pleasure and a social ritual. Within this broad intellectual tradition, the writings of Colette reflect a deep personal engagement with gastronomy and the sensory world. Readers interested in the intersections of French literature, cultural history, and gastronomy may find this work a relevant exploration of the author's lesser-known correspondences.