What is the Nicolas Flamel myth? with Jean-Patrick Pourtal

In this episode of the podcast "Mysteries & Unexplained", author Jean-Patrick Pourtal discusses the life of Nicolas Flamel, a historical figure of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Nicolas Flamel is known as a "public writer", that is, in the words of the guest, a "man of law capable of writing official texts" for those who could "neither read nor write".

This interview, moderated by Bob Bellanca, paints a "portrait", both factual and captioned, of this enigmatic character. As Jean-Patrick Pourtal recalls, Nicolas Flamel also met a girl named Pernelle, his future wife. According to the author, "he lived in the neighborhood of Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie" in Paris.

This interview also contextualizes a period of great activity in Paris with the construction of Notre-Dame and the arrival of many workers in the city. The episode deals with Nicolas Flamel's constructions and his actions of "donations".

Jean-Patrick Pourtal also tackles the question of the philosopher's stone, a subject that continues to fascinate lovers of mystery and "hermeticism". Alchemy is a regular theme in esotericism.

"Mysteries & Unexplained" is a podcast created by BTLV, adapted and broadcast by Europe 1. If you love paranormal stories and events that go beyond rationality, or you're curious about new discoveries, this is the podcast for you. The comments made in this episode are the sole responsibility of the guest(s).

Jean-Patrick Pourtal underlines the richness of Nicolas Flamel's story, which has "left its mark" and continues to influence fiction. In particular, he mentions the book by Alain Page, a novelist, and refers to a character well known to "young" readers: Harry Potter. Indeed, Nicolas Flamel is a key character in the Harry Potter universe, reinforcing his status as a mysterious and fascinating figure in history.

Jean-Patrick Pourtal also explains that in Nicolas Flamel's time, we were in a period where the mind dominated and people "dreamed". They preferred to "cling to myths rather than realities." The idea that Nicolas Flamel had "discovered the philosopher's stone" was appealing and, according to the guest, offered hope to those looking for evidence of the existence of alchemy.

Let's explore the life and history of Nicolas Flamel as well as the legend that surrounds him, by listening to this podcast: "Mysteries & Unexplained".

Our editorial team used an Artificial Intelligence tool to support the creation of this written content.

Credits

Production: Adrien Bonneville for Europe 1 Studio

Visual: Axelle Maurel with Sidonie Mangin

Artistic direction: Xavier Jolly

Recording Voices: Marc O. Grunfeld and Victor Naulleau

Innovation Director: Jamal Lassiri

Media coverage: Lagardère Publicité News