This French edition is a larger format than the English language edition. All the Moebius illustrated editions are out of print.

I discovered Moebius in the early 1970s. His birds, horizons, and labyrinths enriched my imagination and allowed me to have a clearer and deeper vision of myself. Over the years, I have sought through my books to awaken and interest the reader in the magic of our everyday lives. In a way, my work reflects what the greats who open the doors of the imagination have taught me. Among them, Moebius occupies a very privileged place. For all these reasons, I feel great joy when I look at these beautiful illustrations from The Alchemist. I feel that we share the pleasure of diving to the depths of the Soul of the World. Some men believe that dreams can transform the world; for them, the paths of magic and reality constantly cross. --Paulo Coelho

First, the manuscript was brought to me. I went through it, casting the net to the images, keeping this one, rejecting that one. The energy was good. The lines and colors were tingling, ready to settle on the paper, eager to insert themselves into the living fabric of the story. I had finally played my part, I had accomplished my fishing, fought my little battles... I had even met Paulo, the gentle shepherd of words. Now that it's all over, I can finally reread the book. --Moebius

Paulo Coelho is the author of "The Alchemist", he was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Being the author of 30 books that have sold over 320 million copies in 170 countries, he has become one of the most widely read authors in the world today. Paulo Coelho has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2007 and this has allowed him to continue to promote intercultural dialogue and to focus on the needs of children. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the recipient of over 115 awards and honours, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Grinzane Cavour Book Award and the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur, to name a few.

J'ai découvert Moebius au début des années soixante-dix. Ses oiseaux, ses horizons et ses labyrinthes ont enrichi mon imagination et m'ont permis d'avoir une vision plus claire et plus profonde de moi-même. Au fil des ans, j'ai cherché à travers mes livres à éveiller et intéresser le lecteur à la magie de notre quotidien. D'une certaine manière, mon travail reflète ce que m'ont enseigné les grands qui ouvrent les portes de l'imaginaire. Parmi eux, Moebius occupe une place très privilégiée. Pour toutes ces raisons, j'éprouve une grande joie lorsque je regarde ces belle, illustrations de L'Alchimiste. Je sens que nous partageons le plaisir de plonger au fond de l'Ame du Monde. Certains hommes croient que les rêves peuvent transformer le monde ; pour eux, les chemins de la magie et de la réalité ne cessent de se croiser. P.C. On m'a d'abord apporté le manuserit. Je l'ai parcouru, lançant le filet aux images, gardant celle-ci, rejetant celle-là. La pêche était bonne. Les lignes et les couleurs frétillaient, prêtes à se fixer sur le papier, impatientes de s'insérer dans le tissu vivant de l'histoire. J'avais enfin joué mon rôle, j'avais accompli ma pêche, livré mes petites batailles... J'avais même rencontré Paulo, le doux berger des mots. Maintenant que tout est fini, je vais pouvoir enfin relire le livre. M.