Patti Smith Buys Arthur Rimbaud's Dilapidated House in Roche
Patti Smith has secretly purchased the former home of French poet Arthur Rimbaud in Roche, a village of 90 inhabitants in the Ardennes region near the Franco-Belgian border. The house, where Rimbaud wrote 'Une saison en enfer' at age 19, was razed by Germans during WWI and rebuilt, but had fallen into ruin. Smith, a rock musician and writer, was informed of its state by Alain Tourneux, president of the International Association of Friends of Arthur Rimbaud. She bought the property discreetly, without public announcement, even when receiving the Grand Vermeil Medal from Paris in February. Smith has called Rimbaud her teenage idol and 'boyfriend.'
Key facts
- Patti Smith purchased Arthur Rimbaud's house in Roche, Ardennes, France.
- The house was destroyed by Germans in WWI and later rebuilt.
- Rimbaud wrote 'Une saison en enfer' there at age 19.
- Alain Tourneux informed Smith of the house's dilapidated state.
- Smith received the Grand Vermeil Medal from Paris in February 2017.
- Smith called Rimbaud her teenage idol and 'boyfriend' in a 1996 interview.
- The house had become a pilgrimage site for fans but fell into ruin.
- Roche has 90 inhabitants and is near the Franco-Belgian border.
Entities
Artists
- Patti Smith
- Arthur Rimbaud
Institutions
- International Association of Friends of Arthur Rimbaud
- City of Paris
Locations
- Roche
- Ardennes
- France
- Belgium
- Paris