Mémoires de Madame la Duchesse de Tourzel, tome premier Gouvernante des enfants de France pendant les années 1789 à 1795

A rare and intimate portrait of the French Revolution comes through the eyes of the woman who cared for the royal children. Madame de Tourzel, as governess to the king’s sons and daughters, witnesses the storming of Versailles, the upheavals at the Tuileries and the daily tug of fear and loyalty that surrounded the young princes and princesses. Her voice is steady and compassionate, offering a window onto the court’s private world amid the public chaos.

The memoir stays centered on the children’s experiences, tracing their movements, their moments of bravery, and the quiet strength of their caretakers. While the nation raged, she records the small acts of courage that helped keep the family’s humanity intact, including the daring interventions of her own daughter, Pauline. Readers are treated to a fresh, unvarnished account that enriches any understanding of this turbulent era.