Episode 2: Two brothers in Paris

1900. In the train from Nantes to Paris, Alexis Biette kept his eyes glued to the pocket watch he’d taken out. He did the math: the ticket controller had just announced that the train would be arriving at the Montparnasse station in half an hour, bringing the total time of the ride to five hours… Continue reading Episode 2: Two brothers in Paris

Episode 1: From a tallow smelter to a soap maker

1886. In their little house in Nantes, they had just finished eating dinner. On the doorstep, Alexis Biette shook the well-dressed man’s hand: a white collar above his black topcoat, a top hat, leather briefcase and an umbrella. The days were still chilly at the end of March and could easily take a turn for… Continue reading Episode 1: From a tallow smelter to a soap maker