The Quotable Marcel Marceau

France’s beloved Marcel Marceau was the master of silence in his mesmerizing mime act, but offstage he had important things to say. Here are some of his most inspiring quotes.
Born into a Jewish family in 1922, Marcel was the eldest of two sons. When France entered World War II, his family was forced to flee to Limoges for protection, where he and his brother, Alain changed their last name to ‘Marceau’.

Marcel’s wish to become an actor began during his childhood when he saw Charlie Chaplin on the big screen. He enrolled in acting school after the war ended. On graduating, he was cast as Arlequin (Harlequin) in the pantomime Baptiste. His performance was a success and sealed his future as a star. Now get a sample of his wisdom.
“Music and silence combine strongly because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music.”

“What sculptors do is represent the essence of gesture. What is important in mime is attitude.”

“Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us without words?”

“Never get a mime talking. He won’t stop.”

“Sometimes it’s good to shut up.”

“A magician makes the visible invisible. A mime makes the invisible visible.”

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.