Thursdays at the Villa: François-Henri Désérable - From Pages to Grape Varieties

At age fifteen, he crossed the Atlantic to pursue his passion in Minnesota and, at eighteen, became a professional player while studying law. Born in 1987 in Amiens, François-Henri Désérable grew up in Picardy, where ice hockey was his first passion. At age fifteen, he crossed the Atlantic to pursue his passion in Minnesota and, at eighteen, became a professional player while studying law. Then writing took center stage. Since *Tu montreras ma tête au peuple*, published by Gallimard in 2013, he has crafted a body of work in which history, individual destinies, and literature intertwine. His works include *Évariste*, *Un certain M. Piekielny*, and *Mon maître et mon vainqueur*, which won the Académie Française’s Grand Prix du Roman in 2021. For this evening event, François-Henri Désérable will join us to share his passion for wine, which notably inspired *Le Palais*, his brand-new novel (August 2026, Gallimard). The book’s central character, Arun Kumar, possesses a gift as extraordinary as it is unsettling: an “absolute palate,” a memory for aromas so precise that it borders on the miraculous. From the slums of Delhi to the cellars of Burgundy, from the Marquesas Islands to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, his talent becomes the instrument of a consuming ambition and a mysterious quest for revenge. A novel of adventure, coming-of-age, and transgression, *Le Palais* explores the world of wine with relish, while painting a portrait of an outlaw genius. François-Henri Désérable will speak to us about the creation of this character, his journey across continents, and the strange alchemy where taste, power, and literature converge. The evening includes: - Champagne reception - Themed talk - Dinner at Restaurant Béatrice, prepared by Chef Myriam Barda