Molière, born Jean Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), was inspired by modern life, particularly the huge disparities between the noble and peasant classes. He invented a form of satirical comedy known as farce to avenge the greed and stupidity of the court and its courtiers.

Before he became well known in Paris, Molière and his stage company toured the provinces for 13 years, later settling in the city of Pézenas, in Languedoc. His plays made savage fun of the bourgeoisie in a style that caught the attention of King Louis XIV, who agreed with him and promoted Moliere’s plays to indirectly express some of his own opinions.

In 1658 Molière returned in triumph to Paris with Le Docteur Amoureux [The Doctor in Love], playing at a theater in the Louvre. Later, his company performed at the Palais Royal, becoming the precursor of the Comédie Française.

The memory of the great playwright is kept alive in Pézenas through the town's cultural activities. The Centre de Ressources Molière was established in 1994 in partnership with the national education ministry. Pézenas has a university drama curriculum and a stage costume school as well as an arts and crafts centre, opened in 1994 to complement heritage productions, stage craft and allied theatrical professions.

The monument to Molière's in Pézenas [above, photo Peggy Roalf] was created by the sculptor Jean-Antoine Injalbert (1845 - 1933), who won first prize in the 1889 Esposition Universelle, a world’s fair held in Paris, where the Eiffel Tower was the main attraction.