'Ferney-Voltaire lies on the Franco-Swiss border and is a literary Mecca for those interested in Voltaire. In 1758 the philosopher, who lived at Les Délices near Geneva, was having trouble with local residents and the strictly conventional Calvinistic city council in particular, who found his plays rather shocking. He therefore decided to buy the estate at Ferney, on French territory but near the border. Depending on whatever situation he found himself in, he would then be able to slip into exile easily from one country to the other.
From 1760, Ferney became his favourite home. He extended the château and laid out the park, taking his role as landlord very seriously. He had sanitation installed in the village, part of his estate, and endowed it with a hospital, a school and clock-making workshops. He had solid homes built for the residents out of stone, around a church, in which Voltaire - who would have thought it? - had his own pew.
Life in Ferney: Voltaire as good as held court in Ferney for 18 years, with great lords, merchants, artists and writers all enjoying his hospitality and attending the plays put on in his theatre. The immense fortune which Voltaire had amassed, owing to some fortunate speculation in military supplies, enabled him to entertain 50 guests at all times. The curious came from far and wide to catch a glimpse of him in the park. When he emerged from his château, he would he would be walking amidst a sort of honour guard of admirers. He wrote his stories here, as well as numerous leaflets and pamphlets, led campaigns against abuse of any kind, particularly against the still-existing serfdom in the Haut-Jura. His correspondence was prolific: he wrote or dictated at least 20 letters a day at Ferney, of which over 10,000 were published.
In 1778, the 84-year-old travelled without his doctor's permission to Paris, where he was rapturously received. He died there, exhausted by the honours of the occasion.' - Michelin Tourist Guide: Burgundy/Jura ©
(According to the earliest extant records, the 'Maison Forte' dates from at least 1356, at which time it was left by Humbert de Fernex to his son. Logically, this would indicate that the house is even older. It was the strong house of Ferney, guarding the château and the entrance to the town. In Voltaire's day it was the home of his jeweller.
We have looked and looked, but find nothing to indicate whether or not 'the patriarch' was a cat-lover....)
'Ferney-Voltaire jouxte la frontière franco-suisse. L’intérêt de cette petite ville est surtout littéraire. C’est le souvenir de Voltaire qu’on y cherche.
En 1758 le philosophe, qui réside aux Délices, près de Genève, a des difficultés avec les Genevois que les comédies jouées sur son théâtre effarouchent. C’est alors qu’il achète, en territoire français, mais près de la frontière, la terre de Ferney. Selon les circonstances, il pourra ainsi passer d’un asile dans l’autre.
A partir de 1760, Ferney est sa résidence favorite. Il agrandit le château, crée le parc et prend au sérieux son rôle de seigneur. Le village, assaini, est doté d’un hôpital, d’une école, de fabriques d’horlogerie; de bonnes maisons de pierre sont construites, entourant une église òu Voltaire - qui l’eût dit - a son banc.
La vie à Ferney: Pendant 18 ans, Ferney abrite une petite cour: grands seigneurs, gens d’affaires, artistes, écrivains reçoivent l’hospitalité du patriarche, assistent aux représentations données dans son théâtre. L’immense fortune que Voltaire a réalisée, grâce à d’heureuses spéculations sur les fournitures militaires, lui permet d’avoir en permanence cinquante invités. Des curieux viennent de loin pour l’apercevoir dans le parc; quand il sort du château, c’est entre deux haies d’amirateurs. Il écrit ses contes, multiplie les brochures, les pamphlets, mène campagne contre les abus de toute nature et notamment contre le servage dans le Haut-Jura. Sa correspondence est prodigieuse: il écrit ou dicte à Ferney au moins vingt lettres par jour; plus de 10,000 ont été publiées. Le 'roi Voltaire' meurt en 1778, lors de son voyage triomphal à Paris'
- Guide Michelin, Jura, Franche-Comté ©
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