Maison de Balzac

The Maison de Balzac clings to the slope of Passy, its stone walls and slate roof hiding behind a quiet garden gate. This house served as the sanctuary for Honoré de Balzac from eighteen forty to eighteen forty-seven. While he owed creditors across Paris, he lived here under a false name, Madame de Breugnol, to dodge his mounting debts. The back door opened onto a steep path, allowing him a quick escape whenever collectors knocked at the front entrance during his most productive years.