Les Misérables won the Golden Globe for the best musical or comedy film of the year last week and received eight nominations for The Academy Awards taking place in February. The most anticipated film of the year is taking the movie industry by storm. The film follows the success of the West End  musical, which is one of the most performed musicals worldwide. The storyline is based on the book written by Victor Hugo and published while he was living in Guernsey in 1862.

Victor Hugo was one of the most-well known writers of his day. In 1851 he was exiled from France and moved to Guernsey, where he spent 15 years writing some of him most popular works. Inspired by the beauty of the island he completed: ‘Les Contemplations’ (1856), ‘Les Misérables’ (1862), ‘La Legende des siecles’ (1877), ‘Les Chansons des rues et des bois’ (1865), ‘Les Travailleurs de la mer’ (1866), ‘L’Homme qui rit’ (1869), and ‘Quatre-Vingt-Treize’ (1874).

Hugo described the Channel Islands as “fragments of France which fell into the sea and were gathered up by England”. It is this fusion of French and British culture that makes up the Guernsey heritage, scenery and spirit of the Island.

During his exile in Guernsey, Hugo lived at Hauteville House, which is now open to the public and proves to be Guernsey’s most popular tourist attraction. Visitors can admire the unique style of decoration untouched from the times when he lived in Guernsey.

For more information about Victor Hugo and his life in Guernsey, visit the Victor Hugo official site.

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