The book telis the story ofTartarin, brave hunter of caps, the greatest boaster ofthis smail Provençal town.
But who was this character? From childhood onwards, Tartarin dreamed ofexpeditions, he read travei books and adored hunting. A boastful chatter-box, a clever iiar who believed bis own lies, he had gained the reputation ofa great hunter. Unfortuneteiy, in the huIs around Tarascon, big game was rare. So, one day, Tartarin decided to hunt the oniy game worthy of him lions, He then took off’ for Africa where, dangerous but ignominious adventures happened to bim. When he returned from his African peregrinations, he recounted the fabulous exploits which he had flot lived through. The local population, proud oftheir triurnphant hero, praised him to the skies. Tartarin’s halo ofglory still accompanies him
1f this tale somewhat exaggerates the temperament ofthe people ofthe South, Alphonse Daudet certainly found in Tarascon ail the traits of bis boastful but nevertheless attractive character. Daudet’s work, which was unpopular in Provence when it was published, made the town famous. Ail in ail, Tartarin now amuses the people ofTarascon who, with no hard feelings, include him in the procession ofthe Tarasque.

Tartarin’s house

Nowadays, Tartarin’s house, a reconstitution ofthe famous novei, is intended to bring back to life Alphonse Daudet’s famous character. “The third house on the left on the road to Avignon” is how Daudet situated the home ofTartarin, the hero of his comic heroïc tale. At 55bis Boulevard itam, a bourgeois bouse with green shutters resembled that ofthe story. A striking reconstitution has been set up, this famous character awaits visitors, his rifle siung over bis shoulder, surrounded by bis trophies.