We associate Frédéric Chopin mainly with France, but the composer also had a short episode in Majorca. Together with the writer George Sand, his long-time friend and partner, he spent several winter months in Valldemossa. The stay, which was supposed to improve his health, unfortunately led to the development of a serious illness.
Mallorca, or… sanatorium
Chopin and Sand, as well as her two sons, sailed for Majorca in November 1838. The reason for taking this route was health problems, as one of Sand’s sons was suffering from rheumatism. The doctors suggested to her that it might be a good idea to get away from the Parisian winter – somewhere with a warmer, more constant climate. Chopin, on the other hand, complained of respiratory symptoms. The composer’s examining doctor concluded that spending the winter on a Mediterranean island might be beneficial to his health.
Initially, Chopin and Sand lived in a residence in Establiments, one of the districts of the island’s capital, Palma. Sources disagree on the exact amount of time they spent there, but it is known that they spoke for a period of around two to three weeks. They then moved to Valldemossa, about 20 kilometres to the north. This is a picturesque town, nestled among the Serra de Tramuntana mountains.
Chopin as King Sancho I
As a matter of interest, it is worth mentioning that Chopin and Sand’s son were not the first people to travel to Valldemossa for health reasons. At the beginning of the 14th century, King Sancho I of Majorca struggled, as did the Polish composer many centuries later, with a respiratory illness – specifically asthma. His symptoms were relieved in the mountains, so the monarch had his palace built on a hilltop. In 1399, the Carthusians of Tarragona took over the building and turned it into a monastery.
The mountain air served the King well, but unfortunately proved ineffective when it came to Chopin’s troubles. Mallorca welcomed visitors from Paris with fine weather, but the following weeks were exceptionally cold and rainy, especially in the mountains. Respiratory problems worsened and eventually Chopin contracted tuberculosis, which led to his death ten years later.
The symptoms were still making themselves known during his stay in Palma. Tuberculosis was feared at the time, so much so that when the owner of the residence found out about the illness… he threw Chopin and Sans out on the street. They were first given refuge by the French consul, then went to live in the aforementioned Carthusian monastery in Valldemossa.
It’s not Paris
The couple’s winter sojourn on Mallorca is sometimes described as the most exciting 19th-century romance in the cultural world. In reality, the months the couple spent on the island were anything but romantic. The inhabitants of Valldemossa were, to put it mildly, unsympathetic – they feared Chopin’s contagious illness. They also looked unfavourably on the fact that he was living with his partner, six years his senior, in a convent – even though they were both non-practising. Traditional local people were also outraged by Sans’ “Parisian” habits, such as wearing trousers and smoking cigars.
Creatively, however, it was a very good period for Chopin and Sans. It was in Mallorca that Chopin composed the Prelude, Opus 28 – the famous cycle of 24 preludes for piano, one of the most important items in his oeuvre. Sans, in turn, wrote the book Winter on Mallorca. In it, she placed emphasis on her observations of how they were treated by the locals, who were not used to dealing with foreign tourists.
In January 1839, after two months on the island, the composer’s health unfortunately deteriorated, as the constant rains were not favourable to him. Chopin and Sand therefore decided to return to France. Their relationship lasted until 1847, and the Pole died two years later.
See also:
Gran Canaria, a substitute for Africa at your fingertips
Within sight of Marbella – a trip to Gibraltar
Valldemossa and the Chopin Museum
Today, the former Camaldolese monastery in Valldemossa houses the Fryderyk Chopin Museum. It has the second largest collection of objects connected with the eminent pianist – only the museum in Warsaw’s Powiśle district has a larger one. It includes manuscripts, letters, books, portraits and even… a lock of the composer’s hair. Every year, in August, the Chopin Festival, a series of piano concerts, is organised in front of the Valldemossie monastery. It has been going on since 1930, almost 95 years now.
Valldemossa is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Mallorca. It differs significantly from Andalusian white villages(pueblos blancos). Grey-beige stone buildings predominate here and green shutters are characteristic of the whole village. Valldemossa is definitely closer to Tuscan or Provençal towns than those in the Marbella area.
In addition to the former monastery (Real Cartuja de Jesús de Nazareth), the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu Municipal Art Contemporani), with works by artists such as Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, and the picturesque Jardins Rei Joan Carles gardens are also worth a visit.
Michael Douglas and Polish subtitles
The famous American actor Michael Douglas has his own property in Valldemossa. The villa was built at the end of the 1980s and the Costa Nord cultural centre, founded by the American, operates in the town. It hosts exhibitions, concerts and other events promoting local culture or gastronomy. A regular attraction of the centre is the screening of a fifteen-minute documentary featuring Douglas himself. The actor talks about the history of Valldemossa and the island as a whole. A version with Polish subtitles is available. There are also descriptions in Polish in the Chopin Museum, although this is less of a surprise.
The most popular delicacy associated with Valldemossa is cocas de patata – sweet potato buns sprinkled with icing sugar. In shape, size and, to some extent, taste, they resemble our doughnuts.
The flight from Malaga to Palma takes approximately one hour. It takes a second hour to get from the airport to Valldemossa by car. Bus services are also available from the centre of the island’s capital. In low season, tickets to Majorca can be purchased at very good prices. You can easily find a return flight for around €20-25.
