Asian Diver — October 2017

72

HISTORY

72

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

An interview with Nicolas Bigourdan reveals the history of the

French maritime influence in Australia

Interview conducted by Sophie Greuil and translated by Anna White,

Images courtesy of Nicolas Bigourdan

Sophie Greuil: You were born by a lake,

you have lived in Versailles in France,

your mother is a Magistrate in Brittany

and your father is a soldier from the

Basque country. How on earth did

you become a marine archaeologist

in Australia?

Nicolas Bigourdan: I started life as a very

average student. I had no idea what I

wanted to do with my life. Up until the

age of 13, I was quite lost. But one day

I made a list of the subjects I was good at:

history, geography and sport. Then I said,

“What can I do with these?”

SG: What was the result?

NB: Firstly, I chose archaeology because

I enjoy history. Secondly, I picked diving

because I had started to do a bit of

harpoon fishing. My final choices were

adventurer, secret agent and film director.

SG: At the time, did you know that your

grandfather was a diver?

NB: Absolutely not. I only discovered it

very recently.

SG: What do your parents say to their

only son who seems to be inspired by

very little?

NB: They told me, “Whether you

choose to be a garbage collector or

President of the Republic, do something

which makes you happy.” They let

me choose my own path in life. At the

time, I had seen a documentary on the

excavations at the base of the lighthouse

in Alexandria in Egypt. I developed a

passion for Egyptian history and then

Greek history.

“Whether you

choose to be a

garbage collector

or President of

the Republic, do

something which

makes you happy”

Nicolas Bigourdan

reveals the history of

the French maritime

influence in Australia

HISTORY