“It is always sad to leave a place to which one knows one will never return. Such are the melancolies du voyage: perhaps they are one of the most rewarding things about traveling.”

French novelist and critic of the 19th century, Flaubert is best known for his meticulous craftsmanship and literary realism, exemplified by masterpieces like *Madame Bovary*. His relentless pursuit of perfection in prose and his sharp critiques of societal hypocrisy remain influential in modern writing.