title: Le Marais. Discover the hidden Paris of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance: Culture Hikes in France
author:  Denis Roubien 
description: <span>Denis Roubien holds a PhD in Architectural History and is a professor in Higher Education. He is also a fervent cultural hiker. The hiking trips in which he participates, along with other travel experiences, are recorded in his travel blog: culturehikes.com</span>
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  # Facino Cane
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Honore de Balzac
  
  
  ##### Translated by Clara Bell and others
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I once used to live in a little street which probably is not known to
  
  
  you--the Rue de Lesdiguieres. It is a turning out of the Rue Saint-
  
  
  Antoine, beginning just opposite a fountain near the Place de la
  
  
  Bastille, and ending in the Rue de la Cerisaie. Love of knowledge
  
  
  stranded me in a garret; my nights I spent in work, my days in reading
  
  
  at the Bibliotheque d'Orleans, close by. I lived frugally; I had
  
  
  accepted the conditions of the monastic life, necessary conditions for
  
  
  every worker, scarcely permitting myself a walk along the Boulevard
  
  
  Bourdon when the weather was fine. One passion only had power to draw
  
  
  me from my studies; and yet, what was that passion but a study of
  
  
  another kind? I used to watch the manners and customs of the Faubourg,
  
  
  its inhabitants, and their characteristics. As I dressed no better
  
  
  t