It was impossible for the jury to decide between them. “My cabin without pain” by Alain Guyard and “The Cévennes in 70 dates” by Jean-Paul Chabrol and Frédéric Cartier-Lange therefore share the Cabri d’Or 2024, awarded this Friday, November 8 in the Languedoc room of the city hall.
The year 2024 will remain engraved in the history of the Cabri d'Or prize, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary and the 38th edition of its award. Firstly, with a record of 30 works in the running – an exceptional vintage (read again ici) –, the prize, for the first time, distinguished two tied winners. A unique configuration for this prestigious award.
It took several months of reading and passionate debates for the members of the Cabri d'Or jury, who have worked together for more than ten years, as the latter's president, Marion Mazauric, recalls. In collaboration with the committee of readers, who made their contribution for the fourth consecutive year, and supported by the Sauramps bookstore, the city of Alès, its Agglomération, as well as the Cévennes Academy.
The members of the jury had difficulty deciding between them this year. • Louis Valat
“Thirty is too much for me!” » joked the mayor, Max Roustan, who admitted at the same time that he had not been able to read all the works, even though when the prize was created, only eight books were in the running. It was Pierre Rabhi who won that year, with From the Sahara to the Cévennes. “In 2023, with 20 works, we were already saying that it was unheard of since its creation” remembers Thierry Martin, president of the Cévennes Academy. “ With this literary prize, Alès benefits from an atypical opportunity: that of revealing to everyone the riches of intellectual creation that the Cévennes know how to inspire. »
A crown for two
There are three of them, but joint winners of the same prize. This Friday, after presenting the works in competition, Marion Mazauric, president of the jury, once again underlined the growing appeal of the Cévennes: “The Cévennes are becoming a national fantasy, a universal place which speaks to everyone, including non-fiction authors. Cévennes. A book set in this setting is bound to be remarkable. » Enough to fuel impatience around the announcement of the big winner: “Who’s it going to be this year?” » we whispered in the room. But the answer did not lie in the “who”, but in the “which” winners.
Alain Guyard and the Jean-Paul Chabrol – Frédéric Cartier-Lange tandem are the winners of the 2024 Cabri d'Or. • Louis Valat
Unable to decide between two works which so attracted the jury, the prize was awarded ex aequo to My cabin without difficulty by Alain Guyard, published by Le Dilettante, as well as by The Cévennes in 70 dates published by Alcide, signed by Jean-Paul Chabrol and illustrated by Frédéric Cartier-Lange. For My cabin without difficultythe jury praised an “intelligent” and “extremely enjoyable” work. “Alain Guyard masters the art of satire. He is a bar and local philosopher, quite provocative. It's very funny, he's never more funny than when he speaks ill of others, but with a sense of self-deprecation. It's a real philosophy course. We enjoy walking with him in the Cévennes”underlined the jury. For The Cévennes in 70 datesit’s a real favorite. “Even for those who know the Cévennes, this principle of taking 70 dates gives an incredible vision, extremely easy to read and which will satisfy all historians, because the two authors are undisputed specialists. We are very proud of this book”it was declared.
Both works are already available in bookstores.
