Plassans

Plassans is a fictional town in Émile Zola’s novel "The Rougon-Macquart" series, based on the real town of Aix-en-Provence in France. It serves as a detailed setting that reflects everyday life in 19th-century rural and small-town France. The town is depicted with its social dynamics, economic activities, and local character, providing a backdrop for exploring themes like family, morality, and change. Zola uses Plassans to examine how environment and inherited traits influence individuals and community developments, offering readers a vivid, realistic glimpse into regional life during that period.