Biterrois: the winegrowers’ revolt of 1907 at the heart of an investigative novel by Hérault native Alain Delage

vine””>Le romancier Alain Delage pose devant son 12e roman : “Les Chants de la vigne” – Alain Delage

For his 12th novel, “Les Chants de la vigne”, the author Alain Delage returns to the lands of his childhood, and depicts two worlds of Béziers society that intersect at the beginning of the 20th century. The wine world angry because of the fall in prices, and the bourgeoisie who frequent the lyrical art shows in the Béziers arenas. Meeting with the novelist.

You are a self-taught author, what has been your career path ?

Born in Sérignan, I arrived in Béziers when I was 2 years old. My parents had a pastry shop on Avenue Georges-Clemenceau which no longer exists today. After studying, notably at the Jean-Moulin technical high school, I joined the naval aeronautics where I served for 20 years. Assigned to the Nîmes base, I settled in the Gard. I have been writing since 2001 and nine of my novels promote Occitan culture and its heritage. Béziers, I have often left it but I have never abandoned it, it remains my city.

Precisely, you chose Béziers as the setting for your 12th novel, what was the starting point of this story ?

I had wanted to write about the winegrowers' revolt of 1907 for a long time. Digging through my memory, I thought back to the lyrical concerts in the arenas, which attracted audiences from all over France. At the time, it was viticulture that brought prosperity to Béziers, the bourgeoisie lived excessively off it, and entertained themselves with the money from the vines, but the winegrowers, those who kept the farms running, suffered. I associated these two worlds thanks to the historical figure of Fernand Castelbon de Beauxhotes, whose 90th anniversary of his death is being celebrated. A wine-growing owner who invested his fortune in creating shows. He served as a bridge between these two societies.

The plot evolves around historical events, but also a mystery…

The hero, Fernand, is preparing the famous lyrical performances of August 1907 when he receives a malicious anonymous letter. He doesn't know why he is being targeted. Is it linked to his wine estate, or to the organization of the operas?? What universe do his letters come from?? He wonders, until an event that will lift the veil on this mystery…

We come across other historical figures from the region in the novel ?

We find an important character in these revolts, Marcelin Albert. A café owner from Aude who is starting to arouse anger, but who is denigrated by the mayor of Narbonne. However, the winegrowers follow him. And, from week to week, the demonstrations go from a hundred winegrowers to 600,000 people gathered in Montpellier. We also meet Jean Moulin's father, as well as Emma Calvé, a great singer from Aveyron. All these beautiful people navigate in the historic Béziers: the Hôtel-Dieu, the Paul-Riquet alleys and its wine merchants, the grand café glacier, and the district of the Madeleine church.

His novel “Les Chants de la vigne”, released on June 13, 2024 by De Borée editions, can be found in bookstores. I subscribe to read the rest