Henri Komatis and Gérard Paquet created the Chateauvallon Meeting Centre in 1964, a few kilometres west of Toulon, surrounded by pine and olive trees in a place called Ollioules, with Toulon harbour on the horizon. Over the years the Centre became internationally famous, both as an artistic venue, with its Greek theatre, where plays, classical music, jazz and dance were performed, and as a place for discussion, for the exchange of ideas, with the creation of the Theatre of Science. "Benchmarks in Contemporary Thought", a series of conferences and discussions were organised here so eminent scientists could question the way their field was evolving and adapting, putting them in contact with the general public and approaching their subject from a cultural angle.
In 1985 Gérard Paquet invited the great historian Fernand Braudel to Chateauvallon -- he was the leader of the longue durée approach to history [that history is not a matter of short disruptive events, but of the slow, imperceptible effects climate and technology have on the actions of human beings]. He was also the author of a famous book "The Mediterranean in the Time of Philippe II" and guiding mind behind a TV series on the Mediterranean Sea broadcast by FR3 in 1976. In it he gives a history lesson to 14 year-olds, a lesson about the siege of Toulon in 1707. During the War of Spanish Succession, the town put up a heroic resistance to the troops of Prince Eugène and the Duke of Savoy Victor-Amédée II, who had laid siege for more than three weeks, while their Anglo-Dutch allies were blockading the port. Finally the inhabitants of Toulon were victorious. Fernand Braudel explains why he chose this somewhat surprising subject for someone who has always insisted on long term structures gradually taking place over great periods of time, rather than almost momentary events: he gives great importance to the story of history, particularly for the younger pupils, preferring to leave the study of civilisations to older students. A film is made showing this exceptional history lesson which Fernad Braudel gives in the very place where the events happened, facing the harbour. The historian is then invited to take part in a three day conference consecrated to three great themes which have underpinned his work: the Mediterranean, capitalism and France, during which he converses with researchers and personalities from other social sciences.
A book published the following year by Arthaud-Flammarion gives a transcript of these discussions. Gérard Paquet wrote: "if I had to choose the event at Chateauvallon which has marked me most, apart of course from the foundation of the place, this conference would be high on my list [...] Braudel's way of explaining time as something made up of many elements,
longue durée time, spanning centuries, then shorter cycles and then just simple events, but all going on at the same time, at different speeds, perpetually interacting with each other. It was for me the most illuminating explanation of how I, in my confused way, saw the world." Fernand Braudel had hesitated a long time before accepting Paquet's invitation, for he was 83 years old and in the middle of writing a major comprehensive work "The Identity of France" which would be published, incomplete, in 1986. This conference at Chateauvallon was the grand finale of a great historian's career, leader of the Annales School, founder of the
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, elected in 1984 to the
Academie française. He died a month after an operation. In 1997 Gérard Paquet resigned as head of Chateauvallon after a conflict with the far right Front National mayor of Toulon, upheld by the prefect of the time Jean-Charles Marchiani (see Défense du théâtre de Châteauvallon).
Bibliography:
Fernand Braudel, Une leçon d'histoire de Fernand Braudel, Paris, Arthaud-Flammarion, 1985.
Fernand Braudel's major books on history are available in English, but unfortunately not the one cited here
Gérard Paquet, Châteauvallon, le théâtre insoumis, La Tour d'Aigues, éditions de l'aube, 1997.
Filmographie :
La leçon d'histoire de Fernand Braudel, Gérard Martin, Medi Média/Châteauvallon/IDAI production, 1985.
Méditerranée, coproduction FR3/RAI/Europe 1, 1976
