Michel del Castillo

Michel del Castillo (born 2 August 1933, a.k.a. Michel Janicot del Castillo) is a French writer, born in Madrid.

Michel del Castillo was born in Madrid. His father, Michel Janicot, was French and his mother, Cándida Isabel del Castillo, Spanish.

Interned in a concentration camp under the name of Rieucros in Mende with his mother during the Second World War, he developed a sense of belonging to this town, which has honored him by naming a school after him.

He first studied politics and psychology, then turned to literature. Influenced by Miguel de Unamuno and Fyodor Dostoevsky, his books received many literary prizes, namely Prix Chateaubriand for Le Silence des Pierres (1975); Renaudot for La nuit du Décret (1981); Prix Maurice Genevoix for Rue des Archives (1994); Prix de l’Écrit Intime for Mon frère l’Idiot (1995); and prix Femina for Colette, une Certaine France (2001).

In 1997 he became a member of the Académie royale de Belgique, succeeding to Georges Duby.

Aside from travelling, he is very keen on classical music, and considered at some point making a career as a pianist.