Sunday, August 23, 2026

Colette Paris Letter 💌

 

I wrote about French writer, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette in January 

And planned to do a Paris letter

It’s August.The Colette letter is going into le poste 📮

Colette’s literary education began early. She started reading  Victor Hugo and Balzac when she was around 9 years old.

I started reading Sherlock Holmes at around 10, which is why I’m always going down rabbit 🐇 holes investigating 🔍 

I fell madly in love ❤️ 

With Colette’s turquoise faience pen 🖊️ holder at the exhibition. 
 
Colette had 7 favorite pens 🖋️ /stylo à plumes. 
One 🖊️ for each day of the week. 

The yellow
Parker Duofold Jaune Mandarine edition was created in the 1920s, 

Inspired by a Chinese vase.

A photo by Walter Limot of Colette writing ✍️ with the yellow pen 🖊️ and one of her multitude of cats 

Was the inspiration for this commemorative stamp/timbre in 2016.

Speaking of cats, Colette played a full-size black cat 🐈‍⬛ in her wild, adventurous days after her first marriage broke up, 

In a pantomime, LA CHATTE AMOUREUSE at the Bataclan in 1912.

Another catty stamp. Colette did not permanently live in Monte Carlo, but was a frequent visitor and regular guest who spent extended periods there. 

She had deep artistic ties to Monaco, serving as the honorary president of the literary council and famously discovered a young 
Audrey Hepburn 

At the Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo in 1951 for the role of GIGI.

Colette was the first woman to be awarded 
Chevalier (1920), Officer (1928), Commander (1936), 

And finally Grand Officer (1953) of the Légion d’Honneur.
Anyhoo…should I put the COLETTE PARIS LETTER on Etsy
I had a very good raid in Galeries Lafayette yesterday.


11 comments:

  1. Margie9:50 AM

    What an adorable picture of her at age 9!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:48 AM

      How right you are Margie. All Colette’s pictures as a child are revealing.
      I don’t think she ever took a bad picture in fact. She never looks ordinary or boring.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous10:58 AM

    BEAUTIFUL❣️👏🏻❤️👍🏻
    Dorrance

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:46 AM

    Love the kitties!! ( I recently adopted 3 rescues in the last few months!) NORMAJEAN

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:47 AM

      Colette was a real cat lady.

      Delete
  4. Bonnie L12:02 PM

    Yes! Put the Colette Letter on Etsy please, it’s adorable! Haven’t all of us ‘women of a certain age’ gone through a Colette phase in our youth? I read everything I could get my hands on. I re-read Cheri & Last of Cheri a few years ago and had a very different reaction; perhaps more sympathetic to Léa? Colette is a trésor. ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous12:39 PM

    I love that yellow pen ~ but not enough to
    pay €800!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous1:24 PM

    Pen holder is gorgeous. Love your interpretation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sukicart2:22 PM

    Charming and your letter is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous3:37 PM

    This was fun LYNN

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous4:37 PM

    Dear Carol--This was lovely to read. I've always adored Collette! Kisses from America, Jamie

    ReplyDelete

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