Biography.guide
Home › People › Writer › Bernard Clavel
Portrait of Bernard Clavel

Bernard Clavel

1923 – 2010

French writer

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Bernard Clavel

Lived 1923 – 2010 (aged 87). Bernard Clavel was a French writer, children's writer, art critic and journalist.

Bernard Charles Henri Clavel (; 29 May 1923 – 5 October 2010 ) was a French writer.

Clavel was born in Lons-le-Saunier. From a humble background, he was largely self-educated. He began working as a pastry cook apprentice when he was 14 years old. He later had several jobs until he began working as a journalist in the 1950s. After the war, he worked for the social insurance, and he could not dedicate himself to literature until 1964. He lived and worked in many places, and was living in Savoy at the time of his death.

His first novel was L'Ouvrier de la nuit (Night Worker, 1956). He later published works for young people and numerous novels, at times organised into series: La grande patience (The Great Patience, 4 volumes — 1962–1968), Les Colonnes du ciel (Heaven's Pillars, 5 volumes — 1976–1981), or Le Royaume du nord (Northern Kingdom, 6 volumes — 1983–1989).

In his writings, he employed simple language and attached importance to humble characters and to the defence of humanist values by questioning violence and war.

He died in Grenoble.

Prizes and memberships Prix Goncourt for Les Fruits de l'hiver: 1968 Member of Académie Goncourt 1971–1977. Member of Coordination française pour la Décennie de la culture de paix et de non-violence. Member of Non-Violence XXI group since 2001.

Partial bibliography Cargo pour l'enfer, 1993 Malataverne, 1993 L'Arbre qui chante Les Roses de Verdun Collection La Grande Patience La Maison des autres Celui qui voulait voir la mer Le Cœur des vivants Les Fruits de l'hiver Collection Les Colonnes du ciel La Saison des loups La Lumière du lac La Femme de guerre Marie Bon pain Compagnons du Nouveau Monde Collection Le Royaume du nord Harricana, 1983 L'Or de la terre, 1984 Miséréré, 1985 Amarok, 1987 L'Angélus du soir, 1988 Maudits sauvages, 1989

Film adaptations God's Thunder (1966), Denys de La Patellière, from the book Qui m'emporte. Le Voyage du père (1966), Denys de La Patellière.

Television adaptations La Maison des autres (1977), Jean-Pierre Marchand Bernard Clavel. L'hercule sur la place. L'Espagnol (1967), directed by Jean Prat. Le Tambour du bief Le Silence des armes Malataverne La Bourelle Les colonnes du ciel, adaptation by Gabriel Axel in 5 episodes of 90 minutes.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Prix Goncourt; Knight of the National Order of Quebec; Eugène Dabit populist novel award; Grand Prix littéraire de la Ville de Paris; Paulée de Meursault Prize
Also known as
Bernard Charles Henri Clavel

People in Bernard Clavel's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bernard Clavel's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bernard Clavel?

French writer (1923-2010)

When was Bernard Clavel born?

Bernard Clavel was born on 29 May 1923 in Lons-le-Saunier.

When did Bernard Clavel die?

Bernard Clavel died on 5 October 2010 in Chambéry.

What was Bernard Clavel's occupation?

Bernard Clavel was a writer, children's writer, art critic and journalist.

What nationality was Bernard Clavel?

Bernard Clavel was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bernard Clavel

· Wikidata: Q520892

· DBpedia: Bernard Clavel

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bernard Clavel. https://biography.guide/bernard-clavel/

MLA: "Bernard Clavel." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bernard-clavel/.

Chicago: "Bernard Clavel." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bernard-clavel/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

Page generated 2026-09-27 04:58 UTC