Famous French Women

French female MP 'turned turn chance to meet DSK over warnings he had attacked ...

Police quizzed Lorraine MP Aurélie Filippetti yesterday as part of a preliminary investigation into claims by Tristane Banon, 32; the writer claims that the former International Monetary Fund chief had ripped off her clothes and jeans and put his fingers in her mouth and knickers at a Paris flat where she had gone to interview him in 2003.

She said she thought the prospect of legal action against "this rutting chimpanzee with sadly famous initials" would "please" Miss Filippetti, and signed off with her best "Socialist and feminist wishes".

In her response, Miss Filippetti, said: "For my part, I was invited for a cafe for a chat at the same notorious address." "I spoke about it to a friend, who warned me against it, practically forbidding me from going...But perhaps other girls have been victim of the same practices and perhaps they will speak," she wrote, according to French press reports.

"The little I've seen has shown me to what extent the character is dangerous for women," she wrote. "You can count on my support." In another email, she said that a legal complaint would be "beneficial for other women who could possibly be victims of the satyr".

Pressing charges, she added, was important as "it will transfer the guilt onto him and no longer onto (Miss Banon)".

Mr Strauss-Kahn has denied the attack and launched legal action against Miss Banon for defamation.

His Paris lawyer Henri Leclerc dismissed the allegations as "imaginary".

After speaking to police yesterday, Miss Filippetti said she had acted "with a fair, dignified attitude towards someone who said she was the victim of a sexual assault, in other words to advise this person to file for charges".

Her interview came two days after France's leading left-wing presidential contender, Francois Hollande was quizzed over claims he knew about the alleged attack. Mr Hollande's campaign director, Stéphane Le Foll, was also questioned yesterday. He said he told police Mr Hollande had spoken to Miss Banon at the time on the phone to "hear and reassure her".

Mr Hollande, who reportedly also advised Miss Banon to file a legal complaint at the time, said he was the victim of political smear campaign ahead of next year's presidential elections, starting in April.

"This is an affair that has nothing to do with me. I asked to be heard because there is a political operation aimed at getting my name in the press," he said after the police interview.

19th Century Women in Arts and Music | Schaal Road Studio

Actress: Sarah Bernhardt

A French woman, Sarah Bernhardt (c. 1844-1923) became one of the most famous stage actresses of the 19th century. Her commanding stage presence was tremendous. She toured the world, earning fame for her expressive acting as well as her extravagant lifestyle. Unknown to her audiences, she suffered terribly from stage fright.

Bernhardt played hundred of leading roles including those in a Paris theatre named after her, the Theatre-Sarah-Bernhardt. She loved acting up to her death. She even went on stage with a wooden leg, after hers had been amputated. Although she became one of the first film stars in France, Sarah Bernhardt always preferred the stage.

Composer:  Clara Wieck – Schumann

Clara Wieck (1819-1896) displayed exceptional musical talent from an early age. She was the daughter of Friedrich Wieck, a German piano teacher. At the age of nine, she was performing professional piano recitals. She later became a composer and a virtuoso classical pianist.

At the age of 20, Clara married the composer Robert Schumann, when he became a student of Clara’s father. She played many of his pieces and her support helped him achieve fame and recognition at the expense of her professional pursuit. After her husband’s death in 1856, Clara Schumann became a successful music teacher. She helped many young musicians, including Johannes Brahms, and championed the music of her husband, Robert Schumann.

Dancer: Anna Pavlova

The Russian dancer Anna Pavlova (1881-1931) was the most acclaimed ballerina in her day. When she as a girl, she was taken to see a famous ballet called the “Sleeping Beauty” composed by Tchaikovsky. From that day, she decided that she wanted to be a ballet dancer. Pavlova came from a poor family and she had never been a healthy child. Somehow, she was able to enter the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg at the age of ten. Three years later, she took part in the coronation celebrations of the new Czar.

Aged 25, Pavlova became a prima ballerina. She toured many countries with the Imperial Ballet. Later, she set up her own ballet company and gave numerous performances. Through her dancing many people in remote areas were introduced to classical ballet. Mikhail Fokine, a leading Russian choreographer created a solo dance for her called The Dying Swan. Worn out by two and a half decades of touring the world, she died of pneumonia aged 49. Today, Anna Pavlova’s name remains famous because a kind of meringue pie named after her, “pavlova.

Five famous French women

Five Famous French Women

Five famous French women

The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

What French women know, about love, sex, and other matters of the heart and mind