Colette
This point of interest is available as audio on the tour: Visit Paris, Père Lachaise : The Cemetery of the East
Walk a few steps to your right to find the grave of a woman who left a significant mark on France: Colette. On January 28th, 1873, a little girl with brown eyes and dark hair was born in the Yonne region. Little did they know at the time, but this child would become a symbol of French literature, alongside those of Victor Hugo and Voltaire. Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, her full name, was a French writer, journalist, and actress. A fiercely independent and free-spirited woman, who’s bold writing shed light on young women’s disillusions with their sexuality. Spending her childhood in the Burgundy region, she later moved to Paris with her husband, the author and publisher Henry Gauthier, better known as Willy. He encouraged her to write about her schoolgirl memories, which he published under his own name. Colette’s writing saw huge success, in her twenties leading her to grow more confident. Since she couldn’t buy back the rights to her work published under her husband’s name, she forged a new path forward by fully embracing her provocative side. She cut her hair short like a boy’s and launched a stage career, performing as a mime, publicly embracing her bisexuality as a dancer and actress and even appearing almost nude on stage. One of her most famous works is Gigi, published in 1944. It tells the story of a young Parisian girl raised to become a courtisan, but chooses a different life for herself. Gigi was later adapted into a play and several films, winning multiple Oscars. Even today, Colette is regarded as not only a provocative figure for her era, but as a true heroine who overturned social conventions and challenged established traditions. We can never thank her enough for her courage.
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