The shores of Lake Geneva have long been part of the literary landscape, be it Vaud, Swiss or even international. If La Nouvelle Héloïse by Jean-Jacques Rousseau has left its mark on our collective memories, inspiring many a traveler to follow in the footsteps of Julie or St-Preux, English-speakers have also left their mark on the canton of Vaud, whether in reality or fiction.
BCUL invites you to follow in the literary footsteps of Mark Twain at Chillon Castle, Francis Scott Fitzgerald in Caux,Ernest Hemingway in Les Avants, Vladimir Nabokov in Montreux, James Fenimore Cooper in Vevey, or Charles Dickens in Lavaux.
But they’re not the only literary figures to have set foot on Vaud soil. Did you know that John Watson, Sherlock Holmes’ faithful sidekick, was sent to Lausanne for an investigation? Do you remember that Dr. Victor Frankenstein also passed through the Olympic capital on his way back from Germany to his native Geneva?
More recently, works of fiction written by English-speaking authors allow us to immerse ourselves in everyday Lausanne life. Jon Steele follows the work of the Cathedral’s watchman, whileEmylia Hall takes us to the benches of the University of Lausanne.
Curious to find out which novels they are, and to learn more about the influence of the canton of Vaud on English-language literature (and vice versa)? BCUL’s documentation vaudoise offers you a selection of English-language fiction to discover in the Agora on the Riponne site, along with a literary walk through the Pays de Vaud prepared for the occasion.
Myriam Jouhar
BCUL site Riponne
