Remember, remember, Vienna in December.

The setting is France, 1830's through the 1850's. Default setting: early 1850's. Arsène is in his mid-thirties.

Heir to the large estate, Château Montfolin, Arsène is from a formerly noble family in Burgundy where he runs a vineyard as head of his household. With his wife, Clarisse, he has four children, 3 girls and 1 boy. He is an amateur violinist and would perhaps have pursued music as a passion, if circumstances had been different. Instead he shoulders his landlord and farming businesses, as well as dabbling in local politics.

Attending the Sorbonne in Paris to study agriculture and economy in the late 1830's, he met the young musician, Joseph Lavigne, whom he became a very close associate to. Three years older than Joseph, when he finished university, he invited the other man to spent the summer with him at his château and they became lovers. For a couple of years, while Joseph was still in university, they had a on and off romance that culminated in Arsène bringing Joseph with him to Vienna for New Year's in 1841. During this trip, he reveals that he's got engaged and will get married over summer which leads to a huge fall-out between the two.

In the years after, he continues to stay in touch with Joseph, but is mostly shown a cold shoulder in return. He tries to create a new life with his wife and children, but misses his former lover and is drawn to the company of other men like himself.

At this point, Joseph, still living in Paris, gets diagnosed with consumption and they both know he'll eventually die from it. Arsène tries helping him by sending him gifts and money or getting him in contact with patrons, but the other man stubbornly refuses his good intentions. Before a rare visit to Paris in 1857, Arsène however receives an invitation to see him, because Joseph is dying, but before he can visit him in his home around New Year, he has already passed away. Arsène didn't get to see him and his reply to his letter didn't make it in time.

Later, he would contact Joseph's widow, Satine, requesting that Joseph's first nocturne, dedicated to Arsène, be sent to him, for sentimentality's sake.