French literary heritage has been enriched by an exceptional collection: the State has just acquired the archives of Albert Camus for 9 million euros. Among the items now housed at the National Library of France is the manuscript of The Stranger, one of the most significant texts of 20th century French literature.
A collection of 250 boxes and several major works
The collection comprises approximately 250 boxes, representing nearly 50 linear meters of archives, according to Guillaume Fau, director of the manuscripts department at the BnF, quoted by franceinfo. Manuscripts, notebooks, diaries, press articles, photographs, and correspondence make up this collection, which was long deposited at the Méjanes library in Aix-en-Provence by Catherine Camus, the writer's daughter.
In addition The StrangerThe collections include the unfinished manuscript of First Man, found in the wrecked car where Camus lost his life in January 1960. Letters exchanged with André Malraux and Simone de Beauvoir, as well as documents related to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957, also shed light on the different facets of the author.
An exhibition planned for the 70th anniversary of the Nobel Prize
According to Culture Minister Catherine Pégard, this acquisition represents one of the most significant made by the State in the field of literary archives. The funding notably benefited from the support of CIC and Hermès, reports Le Parisien.
Researchers can already consult the collection, while a major digitization project will gradually broaden access. The public will be able to discover a selection of these documents starting in March 2027, during an exhibition organized by the BnF to mark the 70th anniversary of Albert Camus's Nobel Prize.
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