Pérégrinations

Jean Palerne's Peregrinations captivate the modern reader with their originality. Far removed from the perspective of travelers seeking geographical knowledge based on the authority of the Ancients, the narrative asserts a spontaneity that departs from conventional norms and a more critical eye that avoids reproducing ready-made statements. Palerne favors a sensual relationship with the world, marveling at nature, exploring flavors, and embracing fantasies. The Orient emerges from this narrative adorned with new nuances: the parade of the Sultan's circumcision festivities, captured firsthand, celebrates the grandeur of Ottoman civilization and yet, in its shadow, reveals the threat that the power of the Turkish Empire poses to the West. Between sea and desert, the text abounds with episodes of adventure, inviting contemplation of landscapes and the discovery of the most everyday realities. It is presented here in a modernized spelling.