The work of Francois Villon, a poet of medieval France, has taken a strong place in world literature. It not only overcame time, but also won the hearts of readers of all ages and social groups, for the poet himself spoke the language of kings, and the jargon of thieves, and the language of the street, and the language of judicial tricksters. Villon’s life path was tortuous; more than once it led him to the gallows, so that only a miracle or a king could save the poet from inevitable death. A poet who spoke about Love and Death, Villon made acquaintance with the powerful of this world, and with tramps and girls in taverns. He tried to get a job at the court of Charles of Orleans - and committed a daring robbery of the Navarre College. He was characterized by a desire to succeed - and he did not accept falsehood and pretense, so necessary for success among helpful courtiers. But poverty, even misery, did not deprive him of the joys of life. And Villon’s sly grin gives a deep philosophical meaning to his poems. The book by Jean Favier, a famous medieval historian and writer, captivatingly tells about the everyday life of France in the mid-15th century, combining lively presentation with excellent mastery of the material.