Claude Bernard (1813-78), doctor, founder of modern physiology and epistemologist, is by far the most famous inhabitant of Saint-Julien-en-Beaujolais. His statue takes centre place in this tiny village. His museum, amazingly, is not, as far as I could see, signposted.
The impressive façade of the museum.
Fanny Martin was married to Claude Bertrand, although it was a marriage of convenience, Bertrand receiving a large dowry from the marriage, enabling a move to Paris where he (the son of vine growers) could mix with the intelligentsia.
More interestingly, Fanny strongly disapproved of Bertrand's strong interests in vivisection. She became a founder member of the SPA (Société Protectrice des Animaux) and in time officially separated from Bernard. Her two surviving daughters, very close to Fanny, never married and devoted their lives to the interests of animals.
Later Bertrand met Marie Raffolovich, who was a great help to him, particularly in translating foreign texts. But apparently this was an unconsumated relationship, Marie being much younger than him and also being contentedly married.
No matter what my opinion of Bernard may be, this quotation of his is so true: 'C'est ce que nous pensons déjà connaître qui nous empêche souvent d'apprendre': 'It's what we think we know already which often prevents us from learning'.
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