102 Boulevard Haussmann held significant meaning for Marcel Proust as it was where he wrote the bulk of his monumental work, In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu). Proust moved into this Parisian apartment in 1906, following the death of his parents. This location became a sanctuary where he could fully immerse himself in his writing, dedicating himself to the exploration of memory, time, and consciousness.
The cork-lined walls of his bedroom served a crucial purpose for Proust. Sensitive to noise, he found that the cork absorbed sounds from outside, helping him to create a silent, insulated environment conducive to his intense writing process. Proust suffered from asthma, and the cork also helped control dust, offering some relief from his respiratory issues. This soundproofed room became a retreat, allowing him to focus on the rich inner world he was constructing on the page, largely shielded from the intrusions of the external world.
