The Paris of Balzac

2 December 2011 by admin

On Wednesday, we’ve told you about Honoré de Balzac, iconic writer of our literary culture. Because its books are heavily influenced by Paris, we’ve decided to highlight his Paris, the one on the Left Bank. For the record, the word Paris is written 2974 times in 85 of his novels and short stories, notably in Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes, Illusions perdues and La Cousine Bette. The opportunity to follow in Balzac footsteps. Stroll in paris, starting from the Gavarni hotel and discover this city which fascinates so much the artists.

Bohemian Lifestyle

Honoré de Balzac arrived in Paris in 1814, pre-Haussmann period. In 1831, he wrote in La Caricature : “Paris is a subject of envy for those who have never seen, of happiness or unhappiness for those who live in, but still regrets for those forced to leave”. The city influenced him more than anyone else. During his life he had lived in various places, sometimes in several in the same time and often under a false identity to escape to bailiffs… Among these places we know the rue des Marais Saint-germain (current rue Visconti) where still exist his former printing shop between 1825 and 1827. And we can’t forget his house rue Reynouard of course, in which we still find the study where Balzac wrote la Rabouilleuse, le Curé de village, ou les Mémoires de deux jeunes mariés and many other. In 1844, he explained in Le Diable à Paris, that in Paris “there is freedom of intelligence, there, there is life! A strange and fertile life, a life together, a warm life, a life of lizard and a life of sun, a funny life, a life of contrasts”. A program more than interesting!

Photo credit: Le Diable à Paris – Gallica.bnf.fr – Bibliothèque nationale de France.