barres [bar]
Derriere les barres
English translation
Behind bars
Pierre Cardin purchased the former residence of the Marquis de Sade, mostly in ruins, in Lacoste, France in 2001. Add this to your list of places to visit while traveling in the south of France. He restored the interior of the chateau, a portion of which is open to the public and utilized the surrounding property and courtyard for changing exhibits of unique, whimsical sculpture. The image here is a statue of the head of the Marquis de Sade behind bars reflecting his institutionalization for his sexual and political views and is one of many sculptures available for viewing on the property. We were impressed by the trust put in the visitors to uphold the unwritten social visitation contract with no sign of ropes, guides or restrictions. I researched the history of this and 41 other buildings Mr. Cardin, 87, now owns in Lacoste I discovered there are locals who think he is destroying the town. If you would like to learn more please visit the following NY Times August 11, 2009 article, “It Takes a Wealthy Man to Raise a French Village” by Steven Erlanger.