Promenade avec Gabrielle Manuscrit de Jean Giraudoux illustré de seize lithographies en couleur par J.-E. Laboureur

A bright summer day turns Paris into a stage for a reckless promenade, where a laughing Gabrielle clutches the narrator’s hand as they dart past bustling streets, chirping birds and honking carts. Their driver, Frauken, becomes a comic foil, while the city’s rooftops and waterways glimmer under a sun that seems to melt the ordinary into gold. The opening rush captures the sheer joy of speed, the absurdity of chasing runaway chickens, and the feeling of weightless freedom that comes from a world bathed in light.

Beyond the capital, the pair glide through a dream‑like landscape where bicycles haul lambs, cars carry bouquets of hydrangeas, and the road, river and railway politely share a single bridge. The narrative is peppered with vivid, almost painterly descriptions that echo the sixteen color lithographs that accompany the text, inviting listeners to picture every sparkling stone and swaying tree. In this sun‑splashed first act, humor and wonder intertwine, promising a whimsical wander through a world where every mode of transport seems to have found its true purpose.