A previously unpublished diary offering a fresh perspective on daily life in Lyon during the Occupation

Culture, Research
From April 1 to May 15, 2026, Arthaud Bookstore highlightedUniversité Grenoble Alpes ofUniversité Grenoble Alpes PressUniversité Grenoble Alpes a new series of six events featuring authors, as well as a selection of books covering a wide range of topics.
The fourth session took place on Friday, April 24, 2026. It focused on Léonie Villard’s* war diary, rediscovered and translated by Marie Mianowski, professor of English literature atUniversité Grenoble Alpes.

Week after week, listening closely to the BBC, Léonie Villard recounts, often with a touch of humor, daily life under the Occupation: the shortages, the worries, the rumors, but also the friendship and networks of solidarity that surrounded her. Discovered, translated, and annotated by Marie Mianowski, this exceptional account now allows us to hear a unique voice from Lyon’s history.

During this event, Marie Mianowski discussed the discovery of the diary and its contents. An illuminating glimpse into daily life in a city at war.
The lecture was moderated by Natacha Rimasson-Fertin, co-director of the“Paroles d’ailleurs”series.

*Léonie Villard (1878–1970): trained in English studies and an English professor, she held the chair of English and American literature at the University of Lyon beginning in 1922. The author of numerous works, she had a remarkable academic career for a woman of her time.

Learn more about the War Diary. Lyon under the Occupation (1940–1944)
Updated on April 21, 2026