Le meilleur ami

In this gently lyrical novel the narrator walks us through the remnants of a vanished world, where the grand hotel of the Chanclos family has been erased by a new, imposing palace. As he pauses on a muddy road, memories of the old gardens, the towering plane trees, and the echo of a youthful voice under the chestnut boughs surface, painting a portrait of a Paris that has been reshaped by time. The opening scene captures the bittersweet feeling of looking back at a cherished past that now exists only in recollection.

The story then shifts to a lively evening in the narrator’s youth, when Bernerette, nineteen, announces a costume ball that promises an escape from ordinary life. Together with a spirited little dog named Joë, they rehearse dances that hint at the yearning for novelty and the thrill of disguise. Through these moments, the novel explores friendship, longing, and the fragile beauty of fleeting memories.