Sauvageonne

In a secluded mountain village where church bells echo through snow‑capped peaks, a newly appointed forest guard arrives to begin his first posting. Francis Pommeret, twenty‑four, handsome and eager, steps out of the Lion d’Or inn in crisp uniform, his mind still humming with his mother’s advice about building connections and finding a suitable match. The quiet streets, the howling of the local wolf‑dogs, and the surrounding woodlands set a vivid backdrop for his modest ambitions and the weight of his modest family’s expectations.

His inaugural round leads him to the tax collector’s house, a modest dwelling that opens onto a courtyard full of clucking hens. There he meets a young woman in a simple nightdress, her disheveled hair hinting at a life far from the formality of his own world. Their brief exchange hints at the social currents of the village, promising a story that weaves together duty, desire, and the rugged charm of rural life.