I am very pleased to be asked to say a few words to this meeting of archivists and librarians. I am myself a historian, and therefore I love archives. I actually find it a sensual experience to see and feel old documents. Terry Barringer, who invited me to talk to you this morning, encouraged me to say something about my personal experiences of archival research, so allow me to begin with some personal remarks and anecdotes.

I started my PhD, on the history of nineteenth-century Madagascar, in 1976. Before then, I don't believe I had ever been in an archive. In the course of doing research for my PhD, I made quite extensive use of government, missionary and private archives in the United Kingdom, France and Madagascar. An exciting moment was locating the archives of the first French Resident of Madagascar after its conquest by French troops in 1895, Hippolyte Laroche.