
Photo : Guillaume Bontemps/Ville de Paris
Conference: The great love between Honoré de Balzac and Countess Hanska
Forget the heavy literature textbooks and discover the feverish, real-life romance that fueled Balzac's finest pages. From anonymous letters to an epic pursuit across borders, this talk explores the obsession that redefined the writer's life. Perfect for those who prefer their history served with a touch of scandal and heartbreak.
Mairie du 8e arrondissement (Paris 8th)
About
In 1832, Honoré de Balzac received an admiring letter signed "The Stranger." This marked the beginning of a passionate correspondence with the Polish countess Evelyne Hanska, punctuated by a few meetings before their late marriage.
Jacques Marec, honorary president of the Friends of the Château de Maisons-Laffitte, will revisit this love story, which led Balzac to move to the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, until the writer's untimely death.









