The first person to write anything down about the story of the Deserter was Jean-Pierre Michelet (1873-1948). A year after his death, his book ‘Le Livre du Souvenir’ [‘The Book of Memory’] was published that included seven pages all about Charles-Frédéric Brun. Jean Giono wrote the novel ‘Le Déserteur’ mainly based on that text. “He wrote songs, or rather hymns, whose perfectly correct verses and stanzas were sung by us during the winter evenings. Unfortunately, I do not believe that any of these sheets remain, I myself saw some samples that were also referred to as ‘the songs of the Deserter.’”

SOME GENEALOGY (information by Paul Bourban) 

Marie-Jeanne Bournissen (1813-1880) was born at Hérémence and died at Veysonnaz following a fall from a cherry tree. She was married to Jean-Léger Fragnière in 1835, and had four children with him. After her husband’s death in 1853, Marie-Jeanne Bournissen married again, with Maurice-Joseph Fragnière. The union produced two children. Giono made Marie-Jeanne the wife of the president Fragnière of Nendaz, mixing up the families of Veysonnaz and of Nendaz. Was that a historical error, or a literary invention?

 There were times when he quit the religious domain and painted a sponsor’s portrait.

PATOIS
Djyan Péire Peroë îre bon po contâ é cönte.

Jean-Pierre de Pierre was a good storyteller.

 What colours was he able to create himself?