Josephine Baker in Panthéon

A few years ago, I needed to recharge my batteries on my own. I decided to go on holiday to the Dordogne, in the Périgord Noir. I fell in love with the region. It's a place that's simply full of energy, and that's probably linked to all the history that lives there. From visit to visit, I'm going to discover the local châteaux. And what's more, as well as recharging my batteries, I'm discovering a new passion! Castles and their history! I visit lots of them! And then one day... I arrived at the Château des Milandes.

I went inside and discovered that there was a little audio guide for visiting the Château .... and I discovered: Joséphine Baker! I didn't know her at all! (It should also be said that her life ended 10 years before I was born...)

So I discovered this woman and her life through this visit. She was an American showgirl who obtained French nationality on 30 November 1937 and adopted 11 children! I was extremely touched by the story of this woman, her charisma on stage, her career throughout the world, her generosity, her love affair with Les Milandes and even moved by the end of the story of Les Milandes for her...

Later (to tell the truth, I don't remember where exactly!) I visited a museum about the Second World War. Who do I see? A large black and white photo hung in a room: Josephine Baker. That day I discovered a new facet of this woman, a Resistance fighter for France!

Since my visit to the Châteaux des Milandes, I've often had my morning coffee with Josephine's picture on it. Small magnets of Josephine hang on the fridge to hold a few family photos. She's there, in my daily life, because in a few moments, I admire this woman and she touches me.

I don't watch the news any more, too anxiety-provoking! lol And so it was only yesterday that I discovered, via a post on Line Renaud's Instagram (who knew her so well!), that Josephine would be entering the Panthéon on 30 November 2021! I was astonished and overjoyed! Her 11 children fought to get this and after all the life she had and her fight against racism, I find this ending full of value and meaning.

There are a lot of things I don't like about France... some of them, as you know, make me want to go elsewhere. But today, my country is welcoming Josephine Baker, the first black woman, into the Panthéon, so I'm happy about that, because deep down I think that's what France is all about. A country full of different people, not necessarily born in France, of different skin colours, different cultures, who can contribute to a cause, to a country, or simply fall in love with a castle and restore it. I deeply believe that this is an opportunity, a richness, and the depth of my country lies in this. Today, Josephine Baker stands alongside Jean Jaurès, Victor Hugo, Simone Veil and Jean-Jaques Rousseau... men and women from different backgrounds and professions, but who made their mark on their time, their era, just by being themselves and putting their ideals into action for a better world.

That's why, this evening, I'm taking the time to write this little article, because the news has made me very happy. And if you're passing through the Périgord, I invite you to visit this wonderful Château des Milandes. You'll see a magnificent garden, sumptuous rooms and the completely renovated chapel. The Château is home to Josephine Baker's legendary stage costumes, and I have to tell you, the bathrooms alone are worth the detour....!

Click here for the Château website!