"The aim of an Encyclopaedia is to assemble all the knowledge scattered across the surface of the Earth, to demonstrate the general function of things to our fellow human beings, and to transmit this knowledge to those who will come after us, so that the works of centuries past have not been in vain for the centuries that will follow"...
Denis Diderot
2013 was a celebratory year for the town of Langres, birthplace of Denis Diderot, expansive mind of the Age of Enlightenment, as it commemorates the tricentennial anniversary of his birth.
As part of the "Langres Diderot 2013" festivities, the Pays de Langres Tourist Office invites you on a journey back through time to discover this verdant and unspoilt land, through an 18th-Century perspective.
In 1746, Diderot, a bold and verbose writer, began compiling the Encyclopaedia with D'Alembert. This would be the greatest work of Diderot's life, and to which he would devote more than 20-odd years. This monumental work, gathering in one place all the knowledge known to man, would be the greatest undertaking of the Age of Enlightenment.
The "Terrasse of the Encyclopaedia" exhibition in the Pays de Langres features 20 reproductions of the Encyclopaedia's illustrations, which echo the touristic treasures of the Pays de Langres. Each panel features a quote from the Encyclopaedia.
Through these illustrations, places, time, and technological advancements all fade away as a theme or activity takes over... Castles, abbeys, ecomuseums, gardens, lakes, local produce and techniques... each provides a touristic experience that reflects encyclopaedic knowledge in its own way.
Office de Tourisme du Pays de Langres - BP16 - 52201 Langres cedex - Tél : 03 25 87 67 67 - Fax : 03 25 87 73 33