Journey to the heart of Cambodia of yesteryear: Reflections of a Bordeaux sailor on a land of untapped promise

At the end of the 19th century, a French merchant navy officer based in the port of Bordeaux wrote a rare and valuable account: a travel letter to Cambodia, then an independent kingdom under the absolute rule of a monarch described with striking frankness.

This document, published in 1881 in a Bordeaux geographical bulletin, not only sheds light on Cambodian geography and society at the time, but also expresses an intense and committed vision of the commercial and colonial prospects offered by this little-known region of Southeast Asia.

The author, a naval officer stationed in Saigon in 1870, had strong ties with the Bordeaux business community in Cochinchina. He was a navigator, adventurer and economist, a man of action and a direct witness to the political and social realities of the time. His view is clear-sighted, combining admiration for the country's natural wealth with sharp criticism of the Cambodian royal regime.

Throughout his account, he describes a Cambodia with lush landscapes, fertilised by annual floods comparable to those of the Nile, where numerous rivers flow, including a majestic course that winds its way to Phnom Penh, the capital.

This river geography, ideal for trade, should have been the key to flourishing regional prosperity. The country has remarkable agricultural potential, with crops ranging from pepper and betel to cardamom, coffee and sugar cane—exotic products whose development could extend far beyond Cambodia's borders.

Unfortunately, the author paints a bleak picture of the political and social situation: absolute, arbitrary and despotic royal power, spreading terror through unjustified severity. The mandarins, presented as local despots, ruthlessly levy confiscatory taxes, multiplying their whims and exactions to the detriment of a population forced into submission and economic stagnation. This tyrannical regime leads to social inertia, where the oppressed people prefer flattery to productive endeavours — paradoxically, at a time when the land could provide real collective wealth.

Cambodia, according to the Bordeaux officer, thus represents a forgotten colonial opportunity, a natural ‘French India’ that would perfectly complement the neighbouring possessions in Cochinchina.

Its geographical position would make it a natural strategic extension of French colonisation in Indochina. With a loyal and fair administration, the author imagines assured commercial and agricultural growth, capable of taking advantage of relations with nearby Cochinchina, a real springboard for harmonious development. A ‘gentle’ French colony capable of bringing modernity and civilisation to a dignified but oppressed population.

This account does not stop at geography and economics. It also reveals a series of fascinating human anecdotes. The author recounts, with almost cinematic precision, the reception at the court of King Nom-Rodon (the royal name is probably an approximate phonetic transcription), describing the atmosphere, customs and traditions of an Asian court still rooted in a quasi-feudal and ritualistic way of life. His depiction of the audience ceremony — the prostration of the subjects, the rather modest decor, the “executioners” playing at the foot of the palace, the distribution of gifts, the scene of absinthe being carried with reverence — is captivating and often full of irony, consigning to oblivion the exotic and idyllic vision that Westerners might have had of these distant kingdoms.

The letter also describes the royal dances performed by the sovereign's wives, where beauty, grace and cultural tradition blend in a spectacle that seems suspended in time.

Contrasting with the fierce rigour of the monarchical reign, this picture of a vibrant folk art offers a window onto Cambodia's cultural richness, which nevertheless struggles to flourish under the heavy yoke of despotism.

The author also shares his observations on the neighbouring metropolis of Saigon, evoking the crucial role played by Bordeaux merchants in the economic colonisation of Cochinchina. According to him, it was they who truly laid the foundations for French influence in the region, fuelling hopes that similar initiatives could give new impetus to Cambodia.

Ultimately, this document is a valuable historical account combining travelogue, political analysis, economic study and ethnographic chronicle. It depicts a Cambodia at a crossroads, rich in resources and millennia-old heritage, but paralysed by autocratic power and a corrupt administration. The passionate gaze of a 19th-century French navigator echoes an ambitious France, aware of colonial issues and anxious to justify its full control of a promising territory through civilisation.

For contemporary readers, this source is a powerful reminder that behind tales of colonial adventure often lie complex realities, where a country's potential can be held back by unjust social and political structures. It also invites reflection on the memory and historical dynamics that have shaped modern Cambodia.

This letter, dated 1881 and written for a Bordeaux newsletter, thus opens an invaluable window onto a Cambodia of yesteryear, oscillating between ancient splendour, contemporary misery and promises for a future hanging in the balance of change yet to come. It remains a valuable document for understanding the complexity of this region through the informed eyes of a seafarer, a merchant-adventurer, and a lucid observer of relations between East and West.