French writer and filmmaker Marguerite Duras, at that time 14 years of age, travelled with her mother in 1928 from Cochinchina, today’s Vietnam, to their new land concession (often flooded as they will later find out) in Prey Nop, on Cambodia’s south coast near Kampot. This fated land will later be the theme of her autobiographical novel The Sea Wall - which has also been turned into a movie by esteemed Cambodian director Rithy Panh.
“We left Saigon with the bus early morning at 6 am. We arrived in Kep-Douane after 8 hour drive. The driver stopped in all the villages of the Mekong. As we crossed the border of Cambodia leaving Cochinchina, we paid 10 Piastre to a fat drunk white customs officer. We found our stay with a woman called Mom, recommended by Madame Désirée (headmistress in Saigon). It was a small and simple guesthouse. Clean. Four or five bedrooms, if I remember correctly. Kep-Douane was a small seaside town. A coastal road, a few houses for the rich French colonials and especially officials in Phnom Penh. Then the President was present elsewhere. Colonial safety was forbidden to approach the beautiful hotel reserved for him and his staff. Mama and I had dinner near a jetty at the Bar de la Mer or Bar de la Corniche, I am not sure. A fish soup, bowl of steamed rice, some fruits. We were surprised, so quiet people, they spoke gently and smiled.”
[Marguerite Duras on a French Television interview, 1975]
Today only some ruins of her residence are left. A Cham family now lives on the land and takes care of a memorial, reminding visitors of the history of the site. Marguerite Duras’ former residence can be found south of the small town of Prey Nob on the way to/from Sihanoukville in the village of Banteay Prey.
Comments are closed.