▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁follows ▁a ▁young ▁French ▁historian ▁who ▁tries ▁to ▁solve ▁a ▁mystery ▁connected ▁to ▁a ▁secret ▁pag an ▁festival . ▁The ▁novel ▁received ▁the ▁Prix ▁M aison ▁de ▁la ▁Pres se . ▁ ▁Plot ▁Jacques ▁Sau v age ▁is ▁a ▁young ▁French ▁historian ▁and ▁St end hal ▁enthus iast . ▁He ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁French ▁army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁briefly ▁visited ▁the ▁small ▁town ▁V are la ▁in ▁Um b ria , ▁Italy , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁He ▁returns ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁four ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁hope ▁of ▁being ▁able ▁to ▁solve ▁a ▁mystery ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁histor ically ▁rich ▁surr ound ings . ▁The ▁key ▁to ▁the ▁mystery ▁is ▁a ▁pag an ▁festival ▁which ▁the ▁loc als ▁are ▁prepar ing ▁in ▁secret . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Public ity ▁page ▁at ▁the ▁French ▁publish er ' s ▁website ▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 8 4 ▁French ▁nov els ▁Category : F rench - language ▁nov els ▁Category : Nov els ▁by ▁Michel ▁Dé on ▁Category : Nov els ▁set ▁in ▁Italy ▁Category : É d itions ▁Gall im ard ▁books <0x0A> </s> ▁G ér ard ▁V ro omen ▁( born ▁ 2 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁N ij m egen ) ▁is ▁a ▁Dutch - born ▁mechanical ▁engineer ▁and ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁Open ▁Cy cle . ▁He ▁was ▁previously ▁the ▁co - found er ▁of ▁C erv é lo ▁& ▁the ▁now -