IMAGINEA ȚĂRILOR ROMÂNE ÎN OCHII UNOR CĂLĂTORI FRANCEZI DIN EPOCA PROTECTORATULUI RUSESC
The image of the Romanian Principalities in the eyes of several French travellers during the Russian Protectorate

Summary/Abstract: The present article summarizes the travelogues of four French voyagers visiting the barely known Romanian Principalities in the nineteenth century: consuls Lagau and Cochelet, diplomat Bois-le-Comte and adventurer Bellanger. After presenting a few milestones in the history of French-Romanian relations and some key-concepts which best describe the general attitude of every French early modern traveler, the article displays different views of the same space and just about the same time period: that of the Russian Protectorate. Mostly seen by the French diplomats as competitors and largely depicted in a bad light, the Russians raise quite great concerns to the authors of the below selected works. Nevertheless, it is the image of the Moldo-Wallachians, with their appearance, near environment, virtues, vices, and especially life stories which stands central to each of the four journeys.

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