comtesse de Sophie Ségur

Sophie Rostopchine, the future Comtesse de Ségur, was born in Saint Petersburg on August 1, 1799, and later settled in France. She married Count Eugène de Ségur in 1819 and lived for many years at the Château des Nouettes, where she raised her family and wrote for her many grandchildren.

She began publishing in the 1850s and became famous for her vivid, compassionate portraits of childhood. Her best-known works include Les Malheurs de Sophie, Les Petites Filles modèles, and Les Vacances, the novels that form her celebrated “Sophie” trilogy.

After selling the Château des Nouettes in 1872, she moved to Paris, where she died on February 9, 1874. Her books remain classics of French children’s literature, admired for their humor, memorable characters, and sharp understanding of young readers.