Laurent Mauvignier Wins the 2025 Prix Goncourt
The 2025 Prix Goncourt was awarded on Tuesday, November 4, to French author Laurent Mauvignier for his novel La Maison vide, published by Éditions de Minuit. The 58-year-old writer secured the honor in the first round of voting with six votes at the traditional ceremony held at the Drouant restaurant in Paris.
Mauvignier succeeds Kamel Daoud, who received the 2024 award for Houris. This year’s competition was close, with Mauvignier’s work prevailing over Belgian novelist Caroline Lamarche and her book Le Bel Obscur, which garnered four votes.
The Novel: A Family Saga
In this 750-page family saga, Mauvignier explores his own ancestry, tracing family ties back across generations. The story begins in 1976 when his father reopens a long-abandoned mansion in Touraine that had stood silent for two decades.
Inside the neglected house, remnants of the past linger—a piano, a chipped marble chest, a Legion of Honor medal, and especially old photographs where the face of his grandmother, Marguerite, has been deliberately cut out. This haunting omission becomes the catalyst for a deep literary inquiry into family secrets and buried histories.
“It all begins in 1976, when his father reopens a mansion in Touraine that has been closed for twenty years.”
The novel moves back in time to the late 19th century, unraveling the mystery of what once occurred within the walls of this house.
About Laurent Mauvignier
Born in Tours, Mauvignier is recognized for his introspective narratives and psychological depth. With La Maison vide, he cements his reputation as one of France’s leading contemporary novelists.
Author’s Summary: Laurent Mauvignier wins the 2025 Prix Goncourt for La Maison vide, a moving family saga that journeys through memory, heritage, and the silences of the past.