After the forecourt and the facade, the renovation of the Gare du Sud concludes with the opening of the Raoul Mille Library. Occupying most of the former passenger hall and a total area of 1,500 mยฒ, this new library spans four floors.
Visitors will find all the tools to satisfy their thirst for knowledge, understanding, and need for intelligent and playful entertainment: multimedia room, free internet access, digital tablets for reading, a games library offering a wide range of board games, family games, wooden games, a large lending room of 400 mยฒ with thousands of books, DVDs and periodicals, and a workspace with a breathtaking view of Place Charles-de-Gaulle.
The Raoul Mille Library: A Tribute to the Book Man
“I loved them, these words, in their softness and excess, their tenderness and intoxication, to the point of madness, sometimes terror too.” Passed away in 2012, Raoul Mille had linked his destiny to books and literature, dedicating his entire life to writing and sharing his passion for words with others.
His abundant literary work has been honored with numerous awards. In 1987, he received the Prix Interalliรฉ for Les amants du Paradis (Grasset). This was followed by the Prix Paul Lรฉautaud in 1993 for Pรจre et Mรจre (Flammarion), and the Prix Baie des Anges in 1997 for Le Paradis des tempรชtes (Albin Michel).
Just as they had saved him, Raoul Mille wanted reading and writing to save others. Elected municipal councilor in 2008, he engaged in the fight against illiteracy, organizing meetings with writers in schools, colleges, high schools, hospitals, and the Nice detention center.