Les Miserables

From the text:

"Montfermeil is situated between Livry and Chelles, on the southern slopes of the high plateau separating the river Ourcq from the Marne. In these days it is a fair-sized town ornamented with stucco villas all the year round and with prosperous inhabitants on Sundays. In 1823 there were fewer villas and fewer contented citizens. It was then nothing but a woodland village with here and there a country house dating from the last century and distinguished by an air of opulence, wrought-iron balconies and tall windows whose small panes reflected different hades of green against the white of closed chatters"