You know the writer, but have you already heard of the pilot? Eighty years after his tragic disappearance at sea on July 31, 1944, the Air and Space Museum retraces the extraordinary life of the father of the Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: his career at Aéropostale, his absolute commitment during the Second World War or even his failed attempt at a Paris-Saigon raid which ended in a crossing of the desert which the writings will remember in this prison of sand. If the exhibition directly addresses his devouring passion for writing and his glorious past as an aviator thanks to a careful selection of posters, photographs and mechanical objects, its second part attempts to unravel the mystery that surrounds his death. Was it a technical failure, a malaise, an air attack or a suicide? To resolve this insoluble enigma, the museum is exceptionally removing from its reserves the remains of its collection, such as the leg of the landing gear as well as the cradle of the turbocharger of the twin-engine P-38 Lightning that Saint-Exupéry was driving during the crash. A poignant portrait to discover the hidden side of one of the greatest French writers.

Did you know? After the Bible, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the world. The philosophical tale can be read in 382 different languages including ancient Egyptian.