WRITERS OF FRANCE
Writers and intellectuals traditionally enjoy high prestige in France.
One of the most august of French institutions is the Academie francaise,
whose 40 members, most of them writers, have pronounced on national events
and, on occasion, held public office. The work of many French novelists
is deeply rooted in their native area, ranging from the Normandy
of Gustave Flaubert to Jean Giono's Provence.
In addition to their literary merit, these novels provide a unique guide
to France's regional identities.
The novel
