French writer reminisces his time in Turkey

PARIS

World-famous French writer Jean-Christophe Grangé, who visited Turkey two months ago, has expressed the longing for his time in the country.

“I am sincerely saying, I feel melancholic when I think of Turkey. I will come back very soon,” he said in a video message on the French Institute’s Turkish Facebook page.

Grangé, who is also a journalist and screenplay writer, reminisced the times he spent in Turkish capital Ankara, which he visited in March to attend a book fair. His visit was sponsored by the institute.

“Right before the lockdown in Paris, I was in Turkey... I searched for masks everywhere in Ankara because there weren't any left in Paris,” he said. "I was greatly welcomed by Turkish readers."

He added: “Then as I came to Paris, borders were closed... I have very good memories of the days I stayed in Ankara.”

Grangé said he wrote 300 pages of an upcoming novel during his time under coronavirus lockdown in the French capital.

*Writing by Sena Guler in Ankara