Jules Verne organizes his journey along the Mediterranean.

Jules Verne (1828.1905)

Autograph letter signed to his friend Robert Godefroy.

Two pages in-12° on a bifolium paper.

Nantes. May 7 [18]84. Autographed envelope, stamped and postmarked.

"Our plan is to go directly to Oran, only stopping once on the way in Lisbon."

A beautiful letter from Jules Verne outlining his journey along the Mediterranean.

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"My dear Robert, I received your letter last night. What happened in Amiens during the elections happened almost everywhere in France. Countless runoffs; but you will certainly be re-elected on Sunday. Now, let's talk about us. We won't be leaving, weather permitting, before the middle of next week. So, if you could leave Amiens on Tuesday the 13th, at 6:00 a.m., and take the express train to Nantes at 10:25 a.m. from the Gare Saint-Lazare , you would arrive there at 6:30 p.m. That would be much more convenient for you. Therefore, after Sunday's vote, send me a telegram letting me know if I can count on you Tuesday evening; we would then leave on Wednesday or Thursday .

Otherwise, I will wait for you in Algiers, where we will be in the last week of May. Our plan is to go directly to Oran, stopping only once en route in Lisbon to load coal. You would then see Lisbon and the Strait of Gibraltar . I sincerely hope you will not resort to the extremes you mentioned with your political enemies: such animosities are part of current politics. Write to me, if you wish, in reply to this letter; but in any case, send a telegram nonetheless , Monday . Yours cordially, Jules Verne, 6 rue Jean Jacques. When you come, don't forget to bring two sets of sheets and some towels.

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Jules Verne decided, in 1884, to undertake a major cruise along the Mediterranean. The Saint-Michel III, whose home port was at Tréport, left Nantes on May 13. On board are Paul Verne (his brother), Michel Verne (his son), his nephew Maurice (son of Paul), Edgard Raoul-Duval, Louis-Jules Hetzel, and Robert Godefroy, therefore, recipient of this letter . The ship arrived in Vigo on May 18, then in Lisbon on the 23rd. The crew passed Gibraltar on May 25, and arrived in Bône in Algeria. Malta, Sicily, Syracuse, Naples, and Pompeii will follow. The trip will extend over two months and Verne will be inspired by this journey in the writing of Mathias Sandorf , published in Le Temps from June 16 to September 20, 1885.

The Jules Verne Society has published several articles on Godefroy and the cruises (bulletins no. 145, 2003 and no. 150, 2004)