About Nigel Patten

Born near London in 1940, Nigel Patten has lived permanently in Switzerland since 1962, where he writes novels and taught English in an alpine lycée for 52 years, preparing the French baccalauréat. He considers Greece his second home and for 18 years spent the two summer months sailing among the islands in his 35ft yacht “Magellan”. A keen cross country skier and mountain walker, Nigel Patten has hiked the famous GR20 in Corsica and climbed summits like Mt. Kilimanjaro twice. His love for travelling has led him to driving overland to India and back. For forty years he has directed and acted in an English-speaking theatre on Lake Geneva and has played roles like Professor Higgins in “My Fair Lady”. Nigel Patten has published nine novels, including the award-winning HOUNDS OF SAMARIA and a play AN INCOMPATIBLE PASSION, both also published in French. His new novel, AN ISLAND ENTIRE UNTO ITSELF, was published in June 2019. He is holder of an “Outstanding Teacher Award” from Chicago University. A lover of classical music, his favourite composers include Wagner and Dvorak.