René Depestre, 102, Celebrates Birthday and Legacy in Lézignan-Corbières
On August 29, 2026, René Depestre, the Haitian poet, marked his 102nd birthday at Villa Hadriana in Lézignan-Corbières, France, surrounded by fans. This occasion coincided with the 2026 release of his complete poetic works, "Rage de vivre," published by Seghers and introduced by Yannick Lahens. Depestre, who was born in Jacmel, Haiti, in 1924, released his debut collection, "Etincelles," in 1945. After being exiled at the age of 22 due to his political involvement, he traveled through Europe, Latin America, and Cuba before making France his home in the 1970s. He received the Prix Renaudot in 1988 for "Hadriana dans tous mes rêves," and his 2018 memoir, "Bonsoir tendresse," contemplates tenderness as a poetic expression. The event also celebrated the reissue of "Le Soleil devant."
Key facts
- René Depestre turned 102 on August 29, 2026, at his home Villa Hadriana in Lézignan-Corbières, France.
- His complete poetic works, "Rage de vivre," were reissued in 2026 by Seghers, prefaced by Yannick Lahens.
- Depestre was born in Jacmel, Haiti, in 1924 and published his first poetry collection, "Etincelles," in 1945.
- He was exiled from Haiti at age 22 after leading a revolutionary campaign.
- He won the Prix Renaudot in 1988 for his novel "Hadriana dans tous mes rêves."
- He spent nearly two decades in Cuba, collaborating with Che Guevara, before leaving disillusioned in 1978.
- His journal "Cahier d'un art de vivre" (1964-1978) was published in 2020 by Actes Sud.
- His memoir "Bonsoir tendresse" was published in 2018 by Odile Jacob.
- Marie Joqueviel-Bourjea, a specialist in his work, gave an interview about his legacy.
- The critical volume "Le Soleil devant" was published in 2015 by Hermann.
Entities
Artists
- René Depestre
- Yannick Lahens
- Marie Joqueviel-Bourjea
- Serge Bourjea
- Che Guevara
- Léopold Sédar Senghor
- Aimé Césaire
- André Breton
- Claude Roy
- Jorge Amado
- Pablo Neruda
- François Duvalier
- Heberto Padilla
- Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow
- Marc Augé
- Gabriel García Márquez
- Albert Cohen
Institutions
- Seghers
- Gallimard
- UNESCO
- Actes Sud
- Odile Jacob
- Hermann
- Zulma
- RFI
- Université Paul-Valéry de Montpellier
- Bibliothèque de fonds multimédia de Limoges
Locations
- Lézignan-Corbières
- France
- Jacmel
- Haiti
- Cuba
- La Havane
- Paris
- Montpellier
- Limoges
- Sénégal