Jean d'Ormesson, France's 'prince of letters', dies aged 92

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Jean d'Ormesson, an aristocrat and prolific author who was among France's most popular intellectuals, died early Tuesday at the age of 92, his daughter said.

Hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as the "prince of letters", d'Ormesson became the youngest member of the Academie Francaise, France's elite literary body, in 1973.

"Jean d'Ormesson embodied the French spirit, an incomparable blend of elegance and grace, depth without heaviness, inexhaustible curiosity and taste of life," Macron said in a statement.

The president had also sent "sincere condolences" to the late author's family and friends.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed writer Jean d'Ormesson as the "prince of letters". /AFP Photo

The count – whose full name was Jean Bruno Wladimir Francois-de-Paule Le Fevre d'Ormesson but went by the nickname Jean d'O – wrote around 40 largely autobiographical novels.

He made his cinema debut aged 87 in 2012 playing former Socialist president Francois Mitterrand in a comedy, "Haute Cuisine", based on the true story of the leader's chef.

Little known abroad because his novels were not translated, he was honored in 2015 by the publication of his body of work by the prestigious Pleiade publishing house.

Born into a noble family in 1925, the author had published his first novel "Love is a pleasure" in 1956. He was awarded several literary prizes, including the top prize of French Academy in 1971 with the publication of "The Glory of the Empire."

Two years later, d'Ormesson was elected a member of the pre-eminent French Academy, a literary council. In October 2009, he became the Dean of the Academy.

Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency