A beautiful way to explore Paris is through the writings of great authors, who offer a unique look at its neighborhoods and culture. For readers preparing for the glamour of Paris Fashion Week, here are ten books that provide a literary journey through the city. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (1862) is a classic novel that captures a Paris in the throes of revolution. It vividly describes locations like the Place de la Bastille, the 6 rue des Filles-du-Calvaire, the church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, and the barricade on the rue de la Chanvrerie, all central to the story's dramatic events. Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant (1885) portrays Paris as a city driven by ambition and desire. The novel follows Georges Duroy, an ambitious man who climbs the social ladder through relationships with women, offering a critique of societal values. À la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust (1913–1927) is a sprawling exploration of memory and time, with Paris serving as a central character. The first volume includes descriptions of places like Buttes-Chaumont, La Villette, Faubourg-Saint-Germain, the Île Saint-Louis, the Chalet des îles, and the Pré Catelan. Le Ventre de Paris by Émile Zola (1873) presents the district of the Halles as a metaphor for a city's insatiable appetite, with the value of individuals measured by their physical presence. Nadja by André Breton (1928) features the rue Lafayette as a central setting, recounting the author's romantic and philosophical journey with a woman named Nadja, whose name is drawn from the Russian word for "hope." Tropique du Cancer by Henry Miller (1934) offers a vivid portrayal of 1930s Paris through the eyes of an American writer who frequents brothels until meeting Anaïs Nin. Aurélien by Louis Aragon (1944) depicts a Paris haunted by the ghosts of its past, where the protagonist Aurélien is torn between love and the constraints of a changed world. Zazie dans le métro by Raymond Queneau (1959) follows a child's adventures in Paris, exploring places such as the Marché aux Puces, the Place Pigalle, the Halles, the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides, and the Panthéon. Paris is a Fête by Ernest Hemingway (1964) saw a renewed interest after the November 2015 attacks, as it portrays a vibrant Paris where young writers mingled with intellectuals like Gertrude Stein and Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Hell by Lolita Pille (2002) opens with a scene at Place Vendôme at seven in the morning, introducing a narrator disillusioned with the city and its people.