©Mairie Paradou
Charles-Henri Rieu (Charloun) was born in Paradou on 1 November 1846. A peasant poet, he was introduced to the Félibre movement by Frédéric Mistral and became its ‘Majoral’. He died on 11 January 1924 in Mas d'Auge.
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Charles-Henri Rieu (Charloun) was born in Le Paradou on 1 November 1846 on the Route de St Roch, close to Le Caladat. He was the eldest of eleven children. His father was a small landowner, a farmer who supplemented his income with
seasonal work. Charloun went to primary school to learn to read and write. Lucien-Marc Chabaud, the teacher, is said to have given young Charloun the rudiments of Latin and Greek, to make him, it is said, a priest. From the age of 15, Charloun was employed digging the Vallée des Baux drainage canal.
The eldest child in the family, he did not have an easy life and when he rented a farmhouse in the Camargue, his father quickly sent him away. The situation of the farmers became increasingly difficult. Charloun worked in the large farmhouses and oil mills. His father and mother died, leaving a meagre family inheritance to share. Charloun, the peasant poet, captures every moment of this life close to the land, rough and uncompromising. He captures the gentleness and the pain. His poems have been published in three collections. ‘Li Cant dóu Terraire. ‘Les chants du terroir’ contains 133 songs. Frédéric Mistral prefaced the first song. Charles Rieu also wrote chronicles and a dramatic comedy: ’
Margarido dóu Destet’ and a translation of Homer's Odyssey into Provençal. He took his songs from farmhouse to farmhouse, from festival to festival. As his popularity grew, Frédéric Mistral introduced him to the Félibre movement and he became its ‘Majoral’ on 1 November 1910. He died on 11 January 1924, in Mas d'Auge.
seasonal work. Charloun went to primary school to learn to read and write. Lucien-Marc Chabaud, the teacher, is said to have given young Charloun the rudiments of Latin and Greek, to make him, it is said, a priest. From the age of 15, Charloun was employed digging the Vallée des Baux drainage canal.
The eldest child in the family, he did not have an easy life and when he rented a farmhouse in the Camargue, his father quickly sent him away. The situation of the farmers became increasingly difficult. Charloun worked in the large farmhouses and oil mills. His father and mother died, leaving a meagre family inheritance to share. Charloun, the peasant poet, captures every moment of this life close to the land, rough and uncompromising. He captures the gentleness and the pain. His poems have been published in three collections. ‘Li Cant dóu Terraire. ‘Les chants du terroir’ contains 133 songs. Frédéric Mistral prefaced the first song. Charles Rieu also wrote chronicles and a dramatic comedy: ’
Margarido dóu Destet’ and a translation of Homer's Odyssey into Provençal. He took his songs from farmhouse to farmhouse, from festival to festival. As his popularity grew, Frédéric Mistral introduced him to the Félibre movement and he became its ‘Majoral’ on 1 November 1910. He died on 11 January 1924, in Mas d'Auge.
Charles-Henri Rieu (Charloun) was born in Le Paradou on 1 November 1846 on the Route de St Roch, close to Le Caladat. He was the eldest of eleven children. His father was a small landowner, a farmer who supplemented his income with
seasonal work. Charloun went to primary school to learn to read and write. Lucien-Marc Chabaud, the teacher, is said to have given young Charloun the rudiments of Latin and Greek, to make him, it is said, a priest. From the age of 15, Charloun was employed...
seasonal work. Charloun went to primary school to learn to read and write. Lucien-Marc Chabaud, the teacher, is said to have given young Charloun the rudiments of Latin and Greek, to make him, it is said, a priest. From the age of 15, Charloun was employed...
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