Harmas Jean-Henri Fabre

The Harmas was the home of Jean-Henri Fabre and is now a museum dedicated to his memory. Jean-Henri Fabre was a writer and a scientist who lived in the 19th century. His estate can be visited, it includes his home, and the nearly 1-hectare grounds with many Mediterranean plants.

Jean-Henri Fabre lived in his "harmas" for nearly 36 years. Here he did his experiments and spent much time observing insects. He was intent on passing his knowledge on, and was an excellent teacher. He wrote many books in his workroom here in the Harmas, including most of his famous book Souvenirs Entomologiques.

In the Provençal language, "Harmas" means stony, rocky land left vacant. When J-H Fabre decided to call his home and garden "L'Harmas" in 1879, it is because the property, before he acqured it, had been uninhabited for sixteen years. Since 1922 the estate has belonged to the Natural History Muséum National, and since 1988 has become a Historical Monument. All year long, the Harmas is open for you to see part of the house and the garden which has more than 500 species, organized in five parts including the lane of lilacs, around the pool, and the vegetable garden.

Part of the land has been deliberately left totally natural, this constitutes the "harmas" where Fabre loved to observe insect life. There is also the part with many trees, a true example of the Mediterranean forest.

Inside the home, renovated in the year 2000, visitors go back in time to a 19th century atmosphere. The dining room and work room are like they were when Fabre lived here. A permanent display shows visitors his eclectic, scientific work, and shows his watercolours of mushrooms, and other aspects of Fabre's entomological work.