French women who made history

Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress who became famous in the 1920s and 1930s. She was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in poverty.

Josephine Baker began her dancing career in New York City in the 1920s and gained fame for her performances in Paris, France, where she became a sensation in the city’s jazz clubs and music halls. She was known for her exotic and sensual dance style and extravagant costumes, which often consisted of feathers and beads.

Simone Veil is a French politician and lawyer who became an important figure in European politics and a champion of women’s rights. She was born on July 13, 1927 in Nice, France, and survived the Holocaust during World War II.

Simone Veil began her career as a lawyer and was appointed the first woman president of the French National Assembly in 1979. She then became the first woman to hold the presidency of the European Parliament in 1979, a position she held until 1982.

Simone Veil passed away on June 30, 2017, at the age of 89, and was mourned by many as a symbol of courage, resilience and progress. She remains an important figure in French and European history, and her legacy continues to inspire generations of women and activists around the world.

Marie Curie was a Polish-born physicist and chemist who made revolutionary contributions to the field of radioactivity. She was born on November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, and moved to Paris to study physics and mathematics at the Sorbonne.

In 1898, Marie Curie discovered two new elements, polonium and radium, and coined the term “radioactivity” to describe the phenomenon of atomic decay. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, sharing the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband Pierre Curie and physicist Henri Becquerel, for their work on radioactivity.

Marie Curie’s work had a profound impact on the fields of physics and chemistry, and her discoveries paved the way for the development of nuclear energy and cancer treatments. She died on July 4, 1934 from complications related to radiation exposure during her research. She remains an inspiration and role model for women in science and is widely regarded as one of the most important scientists in history.

Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, was a French fashion designer and businesswoman who founded the Chanel brand. She was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France, and grew up in an orphanage after her mother died.

Coco Chanel became known for her innovative designs that revolutionized women’s fashion in the early 20th century. She introduced simple, comfortable clothing styles that were previously worn only by men, such as the “little black dress” and the cardigan jacket. She also popularized the use of jersey in women’s clothing.

Coco Chanel led an unconventional life and was known for her strong personality and independent spirit. She had relationships with several influential men, including composer Igor Stravinsky and author and artist Jean Cocteau. She died on January 10, 1971, at the age of 87, but her legacy lives on through the Chanel brand and its impact on the fashion industry.

Iris Mittenaere is a French model, television presenter and beauty pageant champion. She was born on January 25, 1993 in Lille, France.

Mittenaere first gained national attention in France by winning the Miss Flanders 2015 and Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2015 beauty pageants. She then represented her region at the Miss France 2016 pageant, which she won. Later that year, she represented France at the Miss Universe 2016 pageant, which was held in Manila, Philippines. Mittenaere eventually won the competition, becoming France’s second Miss Universe, after Christiane Martel in 1953.

Mittenaere is also involved in various philanthropic efforts. She has worked with organizations such as Smile Train, which provides cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in need, and Les Bonnes Fées, which supports children facing illness or disability.

Joan of Arc (also known as Pucelle d’Orléans) was a French heroine and martyr of the Hundred Years War. She was born in 1412 in Domremy, France, and was the daughter of a farmer. As a young girl, Joan had visions of angels and saints, which she believed were messages from God, and these visions prompted her to take up the cause of the Dauphin (the future King Charles VII of France), who was engaged in a struggle for the throne of France against the English.

Jeanne dressed as a man and led the French army to several important victories, including the lifting of the siege of Orleans in 1429. She was eventually captured by the English, who tried her for heresy and burned her at the stake in 1431. After her death, Joan of Arc became a symbol of French nationalism and a popular saint in the Catholic Church.

Edith Piaf’s music is characterized by her powerful voice and emotional delivery, and she is known for her melancholy ballads about love, loss and the difficulties of life. Some of her most famous songs include “La Vie en Rose”, “Non, je ne regrette rien” and “Milord”.

Edith Piaf died on October 10, 1963, at the age of 47, of liver cancer. She remains an important cultural figure in France and around the world, and her music continues to be celebrated for its emotional depth and timeless beauty.

Marie Antoinette was married to King Louis XVI of France in 1770, at the age of 14, as part of a diplomatic alliance between Austria and France. She became queen of France in 1774, upon the death of Louis XV, and was known for her extravagant lifestyle and spending.

Marie Antoinette’s life and death have been the subject of many books, plays and films. Some portray her as a victim of circumstances beyond her control, others as a symbol of aristocratic excess and oppression. Despite her controversial legacy, Marie Antoinette remains an important historical figure who played a major role in the events leading up to the French Revolution.