Scotland-Orwell

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In January 2024, I set off alone in a van for a two-week journey, in search of the house where George Orwell wrote his final novel, "1984".

This house, however, is exceptionally difficult to reach.

Located at the northernmost tip of the Isle of Jura, one must first drive for an hour and a half along a narrow road before reaching a barrier. Then, another 15 kilometers round-trip must be walked along a rocky path to finally reach the destination.

By a small miracle, I had the chance to meet the owner the day before, during the Robert Burns Night, and he invited me to visit the "Barnhill" house. Everything remains as it was in Orwell's time: his bed, his bathtub, the bench where he would sit to gaze at the sea. I was not permitted to take photos inside, except for one — the view he had from his bed, from which he wrote "1984".

But what truly matters is the outdoors. It is from the hilltops surrounding the house that one feels the full power of the place and understands why Orwell chose this remote location as his final sanctuary for writing.

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En janvier 2024 je suis parti en van pour un voyage de deux semaines à la recherche de la maison où George Orwell a écrit son dernier roman, 1984.

Cette maison isolée du monde est difficile à atteindre.

Située à l’extrémité nord de l’île de Jura, il faut parcourir une heure et demie en voiture le long d’une route étroite pour atteindre une barrière. Il reste 15 kilomètres aller-retour à parcourir à pied sur un sentier rocailleux pour atteindre enfin la maison.

Par un petit miracle, j’ai eu la chance de rencontrer le propriétaire la veille, lors de la soirée de la "Saint-Robert Burns", il m’a invité à visiter “Barnhill”. Tout à l’intérieur est resté tel qu’à l’époque d’Orwell : son lit, sa baignoire, le banc sur lequel il s’asseyait pour contempler la mer. Je n’étais pas autorisé à prendre des photos à l’intérieur — sauf une : la vue depuis son lit, celle même d’où il a écrit 1984.

Mais ce qui compte vraiment, c’est l’extérieur. Depuis les collines qui entourent la maison, on ressent toute la puissance du lieu et l’on comprend pourquoi Orwell a choisi cet endroit isolé comme dernier sanctuaire pour son dernier roman.

A winding country road stretches through green rolling hills under dramatic cloudy skies during sunset.
Iconic red British phone booth stands isolated against bare winter trees and stone wall in desaturated landscape.
A winding country road cuts through golden rolling hills and evergreen forest under a moody overcast sky in Scotland.
A dramatic sequence of a caribou grazing on coastal rocks at dusk with mountains and ocean in the background.
Dramatic mountain landscape at dusk with winding road and golden sunlight illuminating cliff faces under moody sky.
People dancing and celebrating at an indoor event venue decorated with string lights and purple drapes.
A festive indoor dinner party with string lights and blue drapes decorating a wooden wall in the background.
Traditional Scottish attire featuring a tartan kilt and green knee socks at an indoor gathering with plaid curtains.
Two people dance and laugh together at an indoor event with twinkling string lights decorating the venue behind them.
A framed vintage map showing coastal regions of Scotland displayed on a white wall next to a light switch.
A vintage orange Penguin book sits atop a stack of books on an old wooden trunk with cushions in the background.
Black and white photograph of stacked books including an Orwell title on a weathered wooden surface in moody lighting.
A winding dirt path leads along rugged coastal cliffs with moody overcast skies and ocean views in the distance.
A winding dirt path leads through moody moorland under dark stormy clouds in the Scottish highlands.
View through a dark window frame looking out at a serene coastal landscape with trees on the horizon.