René de Pont-Jest

Born in Reims and active under the name René de Pont-Jest, he was a French writer and journalist who also served as a naval officer before devoting himself to literature. Library and reference sources identify him as Louis-René Delmas de Pont-Jest, and his work spans novels, serialized fiction, memoir-like narratives, and travel writing.

His books include titles such as Le Fire-Fly, Bolino le négrier, and Le N° 13 de la rue Marlot, showing an interest in seafaring life, distant settings, and popular storytelling. That mix of maritime experience and feuilleton-style drama helped give his writing an energetic, accessible feel.

He died in 1904, and French biographical sources note that he was the maternal grandfather of Sacha Guitry. Though not as widely known today as some of his contemporaries, he remains a recognizable figure in 19th-century French popular literature.