Michel de Saint Pierre
Michel de Saint Pierre, born Michel de Grosourdy on February 12, 1916, in Blois, France, was a notable figure from an aristocratic background and a cousin to the esteemed novelist Henry de Montherlant. He was deeply influenced by his Catholic faith, which inspired much of his writing. After completing his secondary education, he joined the French navy but left to join the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation of France. His efforts in the Resistance earned him the prestigious Legion of Honor after France's liberation in 1944.
Saint Pierre's literary acclaim primarily stems from his works, particularly the novel "Les Aristocrates" (1954), a satirical portrayal of French nobility that resonated widely in France during the 1950s. Additionally, he authored religious works that explored significant Catholic pilgrimage sites, appealing to an audience that sought a deeper connection to their faith amidst modern societal changes. He married Jacqueline de Chavagnac in 1944, with whom he had five children, and passed away on June 19, 1987, in Saint-Pierre-du-Val, France. His contributions to literature and religion continue to be recognized by a devoted readership.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Michel de Saint Pierre
- Born: February 12, 1916
- Birthplace: Blois, France
- Died: June 19, 1987
- Place of death: Saint-Pierre-du-Val, France
Biography
Michel de Grosourdy, Marquis de Saint Pierre, was born in Blois, France, on February 12, 1916. He was from an old French noble family and a cousin of the eminent French novelist and playwright Henry de Montherlant (1895-1972). Like his cousin, Saint Pierre was committed to his Catholic faith, about which he wrote extensively and eloquently. After his secondary studies, Saint Pierre entered the French navy. Following the Nazi occupation of France in June, 1940, Saint Pierre left the navy and became active in the French Resistance. After the liberation of France in 1944, he received the Legion of Honor, the most distinguished medal that a French citizen can obtain. He married Jacqueline de Chavagnac in 1944 and they had five children.
In his 1948 novel Ce Monde ancien, for which Montherlant wrote a glowing preface, Saint Pierre described quite well the despair felt by those who had survived the occupation of France and who thought about the many people whom the Nazis had killed. Saint Pierre’s fame rests on his novel Les Aristocrates (1954; The Aristocrats. 1956), in which the major characters are French noblemen with inflated opinions of their own importance. This is a wonderful satire that was enormously popular in France during the 1950’s. Saint Pierre also wrote edifying religious works on the Catholic pilgrimage sites of Lourdes and Fatima. His works appealed to a small but very enthusiastic group of readers, and his religious writings pleased many French Catholics who were unhappy about the reduced role of religion in the modern world. Saint Pierre died on June 19, 1987, in Saint-Pierre-du-Val, France.