Berlioz’s Birthplace – La Côte Saint-André
La Frette
La Frette is a small town in the Department of Isère, about 9 km from La Côte-Saint-André, on the way from Lyon to Grenoble.
In Berlioz’s time La Frette was the nearest stage coach stop to La Côte coming from Lyon. During a visit to Lyon in July 1845 where he was giving concerts Berlioz made a trip to visit his father in La Côte. A letter of his to his sister Nanci is extant in which Berlioz mentions his passing through the town; in a postscript to the letter he writes:
‘It would be very kind of Camille [Camille Pal, Nanci’s husband] if he could send me some vehicle to bring me from la Frète to Côte; otherwise I will make the journey on foot despite the sun’.
(Correspondance générale III no. 975, dated 7 July 1845, from Lyon)
La Frette ca. 1907
This old postcard is in our own collection.
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