The former home of French writer, traveler and naval officer Pierre Loti has reopened after a major restoration, offering visitors a glimpse into the world of the author whose fascination with the Ottoman Empire shaped much of his life and work.

The house in Rochefort, Loti’s birthplace, reflects the cultures he encountered during his travels, with rooms inspired by Japan, China, the Renaissance, Gothic architecture and, most prominently, the Turkish and Islamic worlds.

Best known for his 1879 novel "Aziyade,” Loti transformed his family home into a personal museum of memories. The residence includes a Turkish salon, an Arab room and a chamber known as the "mosque,” where Iznik tile motifs, Arabic inscriptions and Ottoman-inspired decorations cover the walls.

The restored home reopened to the public after a years-long renovation project aimed at returning the building to the condition it was in when Loti died in 1923.

"Rochefort is a military city, a city connected to the navy. Loti was also a naval officer,” said Claude Stefani, curator of the Rochefort Museums. "From the street, you see a very simple and modest house. But when you enter, you quickly encounter exotic decorations: a Japanese pagoda, a Turkish salon, an Arab room, the mosque, a Chinese room and then large decorative spaces.”

Born Julien Viaud on Jan. 14, 1850, Loti entered naval school in 1867 and traveled extensively during his career as a naval officer. His journeys became a major source of inspiration for his writing and personal life.

His novel "Aziyade” was based on his relationship with a Circassian woman he met during his time in Ottoman territories. The book helped establish his reputation as a writer and strengthened his lifelong connection to Istanbul and Ottoman culture.

After returning from his first major visit to Istanbul, Loti began creating the Turkish salon in his Rochefort home. Over time, he filled the residence with objects and designs inspired by places he had visited.

Stefani said the "mosque” room is among the most important parts of the house because it recreates Loti’s memories of Eyüp, a district in Istanbul where he spent time during his travels.

"This mosque is essentially a representation of his room in Eyüp,” Stefani said.

The room, located on the second floor, was inspired by Syrian palaces. During a visit to Syria in the 1890s, Loti acquired an 18th-century wooden ceiling that later became the basis for the room’s design. The space also features twisted columns from Algeria and ceramics from Syria and Iznik.

The walls display traditional Iznik patterns, including famous tulip and carnation designs, as well as a distinctive red color known as "tomato red.”

"These are extraordinary ceramics, from Syria and also from Iznik,” Stefani said. "It is truly beautiful ceramic work.”

The "mosque” room also serves as a memorial to Aziyadé. According to Stefani, Loti returned to Istanbul in 1887, found her grave and had it restored. Later, he commissioned a replica of her gravestone for his home, allowing him to preserve her memory in Rochefort.

The room was never intended as a place of worship. Instead, it was a private space where Loti could remember Istanbul, a city he deeply admired.

"This is not used as a mosque; it is a way of remembering Istanbul, a city he loved and visited many times," Stefani said.

The house became a museum in 1973 after Loti’s only son, Samuel, sold the property and many of its original furnishings to the Rochefort municipality in 1969.

However, decades of public visits took a toll on the fragile interiors. Restoration work began after structural problems were discovered, but financial difficulties delayed the project.

A turning point came in 2018, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited the site and said the building could not remain in its deteriorated condition. The French state later covered half of the restoration costs, with additional support from local authorities.

The full project cost more than 13 million euros ($14.83 million). During the renovation, specialists also discovered serious problems with the foundations, requiring extensive structural reinforcement.

The restored Pierre Loti House now offers visitors a rare look into the imagination of a writer who brought back to his hometown pieces of the world he discovered.

For Rochefort, the house remains more than a museum. It is a reflection of Loti’s travels, his admiration for Istanbul and the lasting influence of the Ottoman world on his art.