Based on the true story of the "Monflanquin recluse" which occurred in south-west France, with Laurent Stocker's character "Thomas Texier" based on the real-life Thomas Tilly, the "de Lassay" family standing in for the de Védrines family (with in particular Hélène de Lassay and Gérard Anger being based on Ghislaine de Védrines and Jean Marchand, the authors of the adapted book), and the palace central to the plot replacing the real Château de Martel.