Hauteville House in St Peter Port was Hugo's home from 1856 to 1870. He decorated it himself with dramatic Gothic and Romantic interiors.
He completed Les Misérables in Guernsey, publishing it in 1862.
Hugo dedicated Les Travailleurs de la Mer (Toilers of the Sea, 1866) to the people of Guernsey.
He wrote fierce political poetry here, including Les Châtiments and Les Contemplations.
His study at Hauteville House faced France — Hugo liked to say he kept an eye on his homeland from exile.
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Beyond writing, he sketched and painted, leaving behind over 4,000 artworks.
Hugo’s Journey in Exile
Hugo's Journey in Exile Widget
Paris→Jersey→Guernsey→Paris
Timeline of Movement
1851 – Leaves Paris after Napoleon III's coup d'état.
1852–1855 – Exiled in Jersey.
1855–1870 – Settles in Guernsey at Hauteville House, where he writes Les Misérables and Toilers of the Sea.
1870 – Returns to Paris after the fall of Napoleon III.
1885 – Dies in Paris, honoured with a state funeral.
Victor Hugo: From Paris to Guernsey
Victor Hugo Timeline Widget
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) was not only a novelist but a poet, playwright, and political exile. His years in Guernsey gave birth to some of his greatest works. This timeline follows his journey from Paris to the Channel Islands and beyond.
Early Novels (1820s–1830s)
1823 – Han d'Islande: A Gothic debut of rebellion and vengeance.
1826 – Bug-Jargal: Set during the Haitian Revolution.
1829 – Le Dernier Jour d'un Condamné(The Last Day of a Condemned Man): A critique of the death penalty.
1831 – Notre-Dame de Paris(The Hunchback of Notre-Dame): The immortal tale of Quasimodo and Esmeralda.
1834 – Claude Gueux: A novella foreshadowing Les Misérables.
Theatre and the Romantic Stage (1827–1843)
1827 – Cromwell: Its preface became a Romantic manifesto.
1830 – Hernani: Sparked riots in Paris, cementing Romanticism.
1832 – Le Roi s'amuse: Banned after one night, later reborn as Verdi's Rigoletto.
1838 – Ruy Blas: A passionate political drama, still performed today.
Poetry of Heart and Conscience (1822–1840s)
1829 – Les Orientales: Exotic Romantic visions.
1831 – Les Feuilles d'automne(Autumn Leaves): Tender reflections on life.
1840 – Les Rayons et les Ombres: Bridging lyricism and justice.
Exile in Guernsey (1855–1870)
Guernsey was more than Hugo's refuge — it was his crucible. At Hauteville House in St Peter Port, overlooking the "wild seas that crash and roar," Hugo wrote works that changed world literature.
1853 – Les Châtiments: Fierce poems against Napoleon III.
1856 – Les Contemplations: Grief, memory, and love — inspired by the loss of his daughter Léopoldine.
1862 – Les Misérables: Written largely in Guernsey, a global masterpiece on poverty, justice, and redemption.
1866 – Les Travailleurs de la Mer(Toilers of the Sea): Dedicated to Guernsey and its people, celebrating courage against the ocean.
1869 – L'Homme qui rit(The Man Who Laughs): A tragic meditation on inequality.
Later Masterpieces (1870s–1880s)
1874 – Quatrevingt-treize(Ninety-Three): His final novel, set during the French Revolution.
1877 – L'Art d'être grand-père(The Art of Being a Grandfather): Gentle, joyful poems.
1877 & 1883 – La Légende des siècles: Epic poetry spanning the sweep of human history.
