France. Ain Department. Ferney-Voltaire. On a rainy gray day, a representation of Voltaire on a farm's wall. The writer lived in the nearby "Château de Voltaire" which is now a museum. François-Marie Arouet (21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778), known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church, as well as his advocacy of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. A busy social and literary life. Voltaire continued his fight against intolerance from Ferney, writing some 6,000 letters as well as his Philosophical Dictionary, his Treaty on Tolerance, and several tragedies. 5.03.2020 © 2020 Didier Ruef