New in Champagne: La Maison des Lumières

Following the inspired renovation of a stunning renaissance town house, this new museum is a tribute to illustrious Langres native Denis Diderot, man of letters and editor of the groundbreaking Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers (Encyclopaedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts), published between 1751 and 1772. Diderot shared his friend Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s fervour for freedom of thought and views on equality – these weren’t endorsed by king and church so philosophers and scientists had to publish anonymously and correspond with the utmost discretion. “Sapere Aude” (“Have the courage to use your own understanding”) is the motto which greets you at the door of the museum, and this was the battle cry of the Enlightenment, when thinkers like Voltaire, Franklin, Hume, and Locke searched for truth through knowledge.

The museum’s multimedia panels add much to its priceless collection of books and works of art, shedding light on the pre-Revolutionary mindset, when printing itself was a risky business. Diderot discovered this when he spent the summer of 1749 imprisoned in the dungeons of Vincennes, for publishing his essay, Letter on the Blind for the Use of Those Who Can See.