Madame de Sévigné - also known as the Marquise de Sévigné - was born on 5th February 1626. She qualifies as a goldmine for historians and could have been an even greater treasure!

This lady had a daughter - the Comtesse de Grignan - who moved to the south of France with her husband. As a result, mother and daughter wrote letters to each other to keep in touch. For many years, the mother wrote hundreds of letters, capturing life at the court of Versailles.

While this correspondance was intended to remain private, one of Madame de Sévigné's descendants got it plublished. Sadly, we know that during the process, some letters were either censored and destroyed, others were edited or embellished.

Nevertheless, since historians refer to as many sources as possible, they are able to determine the value of Madame de Sévigné's writings. Unbeknownst to her, she was a journalist of sorts, reporting on the news of her days...

If you join my Kings and Queens in the Marais walk, you will see where the Marquise was born in Paris!