Ivan Tourguéniev, a man of Russian letters, European before the hour, was built in Bougival, on the same land as the property of his friends Pauline and Louis Viardot, a cottage in «datcha» style.
It is in this house nestled in the middle of the trees that he finishes some of his master works: Terres vierges and Poèmes en prose. It is there that he will dictate to Pauline Viardot the story of his novel, A fire at sea, while he is dying. The writer died in his cabin on September 3, 1883, his dear friend the singer at her bedside.
In the dacha there is a museum created in 1983 at the initiative of Alexander Zviguilsky with the Association of Friends of Ivan Turgenev, Pauline Viardot and Maria Malibran. This museum is dedicated to Russia, human rights and Tourguéniev’s European journey. An important place is given to Pauline Viardot and her family. On the first floor, the Russian writer’s room and work room are recreated in the same way.
A member of the «Route Historique des Ecrivains» and the «Fédération des maisons d'écrivains et patrimoine littéraire», in partnership with the City, the ATVM association continues to bring this magical place to life through visits and the organization of cultural events.