This luxurious hotel in the south of France is not only a wine resort, and its founder a renowned winemaker, but also offers an exhibition dedicated to Antoine de Saint Exupéry and Le petit Prince throughout the summer. Château l'Hospitalet is a wine resort with a spa, beach and spectacular views over the vineyards and the countryside, and one of the favorite destinations for celebrities. Gerard Bertrand is a former rugby player who, after recovering the family vineyard in Corbières, has become the leading exporter of organic wine in France.
He owns seventeen châteaux and exports wines all over the world, from New York to China and Russia. His work has just been recognized by the French state with the Légion d'Honneur, the country's best-known and most important distinction. In addition, the specialized magazine The Drinks Business has just named him Best Wine Maker of the World. He even collaborated with Bon Jovi creating his own wine, the Hampton rosé.
Gerard Bertrand is also committed to different social causes and promoting culture, which is why he decided to host the unprecedented exhibition on the French writer and pilot Antoine de Saint Exupéry at his hotel, from May to September of this year, and which coincides with the 80th anniversary from the publication of The Little Prince (New York, 1943).
The work explores timeless themes such as innocence, friendship, love, the search for meaning and the value of human relationships through the encounters of a young prince from another planet.
The poetic approach and philosophical depth of the story have made it a contemporary classic that has moved readers of all ages as they have found in the book profound reflections on the human condition. Since its publication, The Little Prince has become one of the most translated books of all time (the second most translated after the Bible). The exhibition explores the poetic and philosophical universe of Antoine de Saint Exupéry through original texts, manuscripts, personal items from the foundation's collections, and even airplanes.
The exhibition brings together three artists who bring their own vision of the universe of The Little Prince: Cyril Phan, known as Kongo, exhibits his recent canvases in vibrant colors, and a never-before-seen piece: a Nord 1000, a 1934 airplane that was the competitor of the Caudron Simoun planes with which Antoine de Saint Exupéry participated in the great air raids Paris-Saigon (1935) and New York-Tierra del Fuego (1938). It pays homage to all of the author's literary work through the titles of his novels, which the artist has captured in the cockpit of the plane, as an invitation to immerse ourselves in his humanist, philosophical and visionary thought.
Cédric Fernandez is the author of the Antoine de Saint Exupéry trilogy where he exhibits a selection of his drawings. And Jean-Marc de Pas who has created some bronze sculptures inspired by the original watercolors of the asteroids with which the author illustrates his work.
Faithful to the spirit of the French writer and aviator who defended a society based on respect for the human being, diversity of cultures, solidarity, commitment and individual responsibility, the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Foundation pour la Jeunesse (FASEJ) organizes different actions around the world to improve the day-to-day life of young people and thus help them better take control of their future.
In collaboration with Gérard Bertrand they have created this exhibition so that artists and visitors can discover and delve into this contemporary classic. "Antoine de Saint Exupéry is an inspiration, addressing everyone in the world, of any generation, and in particular the young, citizens of tomorrow. Through his work, as in his life, he has been an example of great values : responsibility, capacity for effort, empathy, generosity and respect... Humanism is the main pillar of his thought." says Olivier d'Agay, the nephew of Antoine de Saint Exupéry and secretary of the foundation.
During the experience, the châteaux turns its façade into a canvas where plays of light, vibrant colors and visual effects are projected, bringing the poetry of The Little Prince to life.
As the story progresses, the reader discovers that the little prince is much more than a child. He is the embodiment of purity, curiosity, sensitivity, and the ability to see beyond appearances. He has a profound influence on the reader, leading him to question his worldview and reevaluate his own life. The Little Prince is a timeless work that continues to captivate and invites us to rediscover the essential truths of life and to protect the child within us.
