From maid to botanist
Jeanne Barret was born on July 27, 1740 in Burgundy. Little is known about her childhood. Apparently an orphan, she began working at a young age. She met Philibert Commerson, botanist and physician, in 1764, who hired her as a maid. Widower, the man fell in love with Jeanne and taught her the rudiments of his profession, sharing with her his research on plants. The young woman became pregnant out of wedlock and the couple moved to Paris. But their child died some time later.
Disguise yourself as a man to take part in the royal expedition
In 1766, Commerson was invited to take part in the Bougainville expedition, the first world tour organized by the Royal Navy under the command of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville. The botanist was in charge of studying the local fauna at each stopover. Apparently in poor health, Commerson asked to be accompanied by Jeanne, who was to serve as his nurse. But at that time, women were forbidden on the ships of "Her Majesty". However, he was allowed to have a valet.
Thus, Jeanne Barret disguised herself as a man to board the Étoile, one of the two ships of the expedition with the Boudeuse. It is not known if Commerson was aware of the deception, but it is likely that he was, given the affair that the two lovers were having. Other sources indicate that Jeanne took part in the voyage so as not to be separated from the man she loved.
The young woman cut her hair, bandaged her chest, wore large clothes and took the name of Jean Baré, playing the role of the naturalist's valet. On February 1, 1767, the two lovers embarked at the port of Rochefort. Fortunately, Commerson had his own cabin with a private bathroom, generously provided by the ship's captain, so that he could store all his equipment. The young woman thus benefited from more intimacy.
To avoid being caught, Jeanne redoubled her work on board the ship. At each stopover, the duo does their botanical work, studying, listing and classifying each specimen they encounter.
Unmasked in Tahiti
Two years passed before Jeanne was caught during a stopover in Tahiti in 1769. Here again, the testimonies diverge. If some say that suspicions started from the beginning, others explain that it was when she disembarked on the island that the young woman was unmasked by the inhabitants, shouting that she was a woman. The young woman then explained to the captain that Commerson was not aware of the deception in order to protect him.
More than 5,000 species harvested
The couple finally disembarked at Isle de France (today Mauritius), hosted by Commerson's friend, the botanist Pierre Poivre. Both of them continued their botanical research until Commerson's death in 1773. Poivre being recalled to Paris, Jeanne was left alone and without resources, so that she could not return to France. She will send the results of her research - nearly 5 000 species of plants, 3 000 of which are still unknown - to Paris.
A royal recognition
She opened a cabaret in Port-Louis and met a French naval officer whom she married in 1774. The couple returned to France, thus completing their world tour, certainly in 1775. In 1776, she received the inheritance left by Commerson before being honored by Louis XVI who recognized her merits as a botanist's assistant and awarded her a royal pension. Jeanne died in 1807.
