Those who are familiar with the French author Marguerite Duras will remember her most celebrated novel awarded the Goncourt Prize in 1984, The Lover was inspired by her girlhood in the Mekong Delta Region in Vietnam.
In a house in Sa Dec Town, Dong Thap Province, a love story was retold almost every day though nearly a century has passed since then.
The house is Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, where the lover of the author lived. Duras had many memories of this place.
The former owner of the house is Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who is believed to be the male character in the novel. It is located at 225A Nguyen Hue Str., Sa Dec Town, Dong Thap Province.
The house has a history of over 130 years, and is now a popular tourist destination in Mekong Delta for all literaturelovers.
In the past, Huynh’s is the most reputable family in Dong Thap. The house is well-built and the furniture is luxurious, some brought from France.
It is a low house with a Chinese-style ridged roof described in Duras’ novel as a “big villa” with “blue balustrades” and “tiers of terraces overlooking the Mekong”.
The busy facade combines Chinese and Classical elements, while the interior walls display photographs of both Le’s and Duras’ families, although the relationship was never condoned by either side.
The house was built in 1917, replacing a wooden home from in 1895. In 1972, the Le family departed the house and after the Vietnam War it became a police station.
In 2010, authorities declared it a historic site and ever since it became a popular tourist spot in Mekong River Delta tour.
People here can see the portrait and dwelling of the author’s lover. Here still remain all documents about the Huynh family and pictures recalling the old love story.
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