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Writer's pictureChristine Childress

Follow The Little Prince Author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Across the Skies and Sands: An Itinerary


Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Toulouse, 1933


French writer, pioneering aviator, and poetic philosopher Antoine de Saint-Exupéry conveyed whimsy and wisdom through his beloved novella The Little Prince. But before penning his parable of introspection masked within a children's tale, he led an adventure-filled life journeying across earth and sky that shaped his groundbreaking aviation achievements and literature.


For devoted fans, visiting the places Saint-Exupéry lived, flew, crashed and wrote grants intimate perspective into the inspiration behind The Little Prince's earnest messaging about living with purpose beyond the mundane. By touring his Mediterranean coast airmail routes, gazing upon Saharan sands he wandered after wrecking his plane, and strolling French streets he once called home, devotees can trace Saint-Exupéry's progression from audacious pilot to thoughtful writer focusing on meaningful pursuits beyond the superficial.


This pilgrimage crosses continents, from the Lyon cul-de-sac where he stargazed as a child to the New York City apartment where he completed his philosophical masterpiece. Follow Saint-Exupéry's footsteps through formative experiences high above us all.



Lyon, France: A Dreamer's Origins


The imaginative mind behind The Little Prince first sparked to life in Lyon, France, where budding author and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry spent his formative years. Sites around Lyon offer glimpses into his origins:


• His birthplace at 18 Rue del'Armée, marked by a plaque, in this cheery middle-class neighborhood where he daydreamed looking skyward.


• Ancient ruins like the Gallo-Roman amphitheaters and theaters that stoked his visions of adventure.


• Notre Dame de Fourvière overlooking Lyon, where Tonio would observe the panorama that foreshadowed his aviation dreams.


Strolling Lyon's charming cobblestone streets and verdant parks, one can envision the precocious boy who would someday write of life's simple yet profound essence.



French Riviera: Taking Flight


After becoming a military pilot, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry began flying airmail routes between France and North Africa, crisscrossing the Mediterranean coast which both tested his skills and stirred his spirit of adventure. Sites remain tied to this era:


• Toulon Airport has an exhibit on the mail planes Saint-Exupéry flew for Aeropostale before becoming a published author.


• In Marseille's Old Port, imagine Saint-Exupéry lifting off the seaplane pier carrying sacks of letters destined for Dakar and beyond.


• Have a seafood lunch in seaside Nice where Saint-Exupéry and fellow pioneering pilot Léon Werth bonded over their vocation.


• Visit the Toulouse Aerospace Museum to see early Aeropostale aircraft models similar to what Saint-Exupéry piloted over the sea to Africa.


Coastal vistas he viewed daily from the cockpit inspired Saint-Exupéry's writing reaching for the heavens.



The Sahara: An Inspiring Crash Site


In 1935 while attempting an airmail crossing of the Sahara desert, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry survived crashing his plane and nearly perished wandering the sands for days. This transformative experience inspired The Little Prince. Sites include:


• The crashed plane’s wreckage, enshrined in a small museum in Beni Abbes, Algeria where Saint-Exupéry miraculously survived the crash landing.


• Sahara desert dunes, imagining the disoriented author hallucinating a helping figure as he walked under the blistering sun before being rescued near death.


• Ancient fortressed villages like Ghardaïa that Saint-Exupéry flew over observing life in isolated desert outposts that informed The Little Prince.


Walking where the author himself walked encapsulates the isolation and self-reckoning of his trek through shifting oceans of dunes that catalyzed his literary imagination.



New York City: Drafting his Masterpiece


After fleeing war-torn France for New York City in 1940, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote and published his philosophical novella The Little Prince while living in Manhattan over a 2 year period. Sites include:


• Central Park, where Saint-Exupéry would stroll or sit writing draft pages of the fable-like story in fountain pens in leather notebooks.


• His penthouse atop 240 Central Park South, where the author contemplated life’s essence peering out over the cityscape.


• The Morgan Library museum, home to the original handwritten manuscript of The Little Prince on display.


• Indulge in pastries at Ladurée or Cafe Pouchkine, recalling the book's sweet fox who wanted to be tamed through routine.


Imagining Saint-Exupéry crafting his thoughtful tale in New York lends deeper meaning to its earnest reflections on relationships, responsibilities, and what truly matters in life.



Central France: The Pilot as an Architect


Beyond his birthplace of Lyon, central France houses a treasure trove of sites related to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's creative spirit and pioneering aviation accomplishments:

• The Lyon Air and Space Museum contains exhibits on Saint-Exupéry's daring early airmail routes and displays of his poem drafts.


• Have tea at the Cafe Guerbois in Chambéry, a philosopher's haunt that Saint-Exupéry would surely have appreciated.


• Visit the Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris to see aircraft similar to those flown by the innovator.


Wandering where the author found inspiration rewards devotees with a profound trip through his inventive imagination.


Tips for Tracing Saint-Exupéry's Footsteps


If you want to recreate your own voyage to sites linked to the life of The Little Prince author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, here are some tips:


• Travel during spring or fall for pleasant weather suited to recreating his activities like hiking, flying, and writing outdoors.


• Read biographies like Stacy Schiff's Saint-Exupéry biography to gain insights before visiting each location.


• Give yourself 2-3 weeks minimum to fully cover all the key sites spanning multiple countries.


• For Sahara Desert visits, coordinate with tour groups specialized in guiding travel to remote areas.


• Make required reservations for museums and manuscript viewings well in advance of your trip.


• Capture your own travel journal impressions to better connect with the philosophical spirit of Saint-Exupéry.


With planning and imagination, fans can voyage through the days and worlds that shaped an author who still engages minds and hearts decades after his passing.



Gaining Perspective on a Pioneering Philosopher


Like The Little Prince gained wisdom through journeying from his star to Earth, travelers can gain layered understandings of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry the author through tracing his own voyages across land, air, and mind.


Walking where Saint-Exupéry walked as a curious child, intrepid pilot, struggling crash survivor, and exiled philosopher grants intimate perspective into the many lives and minds encapsulated in one man. You witness his questing spirit, creativity despite adversity, and belief in looking within to navigate life's challenges.


Ultimately, through exploring the places that shaped him, we can appreciate Saint-Exupéry's achievements as both pioneer aviator and literary sage sharing earnest truths via inventive storytelling. His works remind us of what matters most in life when taken down to bare essence.


Let his adventurous journey inspire your own exploration of ideas, people, and this shared world we all call home. Bon voyage!


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