Ce diable d'homme— Episode 1

Overview

This devil of a man plunges the viewer into the very heart of the Voltaire whirlwind, that incandescent mind who shook his century. The series follows his meteoric rise, his exiles, his battles and flashes of genius, in a Europe still tightly bound by absolutism. We discover an unbowed, charming, formidable man whose pen makes ministers, kings and fanatics tremble. Between glittering salons, damp prisons and passionate loves, Voltaire crosses the Age of Enlightenment like a meteor. Each episode reveals a confrontation, a flight, a victory wrested through the sheer force of intellect. Carried by elegant direction and a sweeping, novelistic energy, the series paints a vibrant portrait of a fighter for freedom. A journey into the life of a man who never stopped thinking, loving and provoking.

Comedy Family Drama Documentary

Current EpisodeSeason 1 • Episode 1Aired: 1978-05-0455 min

8.0

1. Episode 1

In 1704, François Arouet, ten years old, already displayed an uncommon blend of mischief and intelligence. After brilliant studies at the Lycée Louis‑le‑Grand, he decided to become a writer, despite the reluctance of his father, a notary. His romantic escapades led him to the Bastille, where he spent eleven months. Once free again, he experienced his first mutual passion with the sublime tragedienne Adrienne Lecouvreur, and enjoyed his first triumph as a playwright at the Comédie‑Française with Oedipus. From then on, he would call himself Voltaire. Love, fame, fortune and reconciliation with his father all seemed to promise him happiness. But after mocking Monsieur de Rohan—whose illustrious name, in his own mind, justified every insolence—he was beaten. Voltaire challenged him to a duel and found himself imprisoned once more.