ALAIN-FOURNIER AND THE TRUE YVONNE DE GALAIS OF LE GRAND MEAULNES

Abstract

It was not until 1964 – fifty years after the death of writer, Alain-Fournier – that the true identity of the young woman of nobility who inspired him to create the character of Yvonne de Galais was revealed. In 1905, he fell romantically in love with Yvonnne Toussaint de Quiévrecourt, who was a bit older than him and already engaged to a naval doctor she was to marry the following year, while being very found of Fournier. That could be the main reason why both their families wanted her name to be kept a secret. This article relates for the first time the true story of the platonic love between Fournier and Yvonne, and how her name was accidently revealed. It also shows that sometimes real life is even more fascinating than fiction