Story of the Week #11
The adventuress of the seas
Friday June 23th 2023
Jeanne Baret was an 18th-century French explorer. She is known as the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, although she had to disguise herself as a man to do so. She worked as a domestic and as a gardener's assistant before becoming assistant to the botanist Philibert Commerson.
In 1766, Commerson was invited to take part in a round-the-world expedition led by Louis Antoine de Bougainville. Jeanne Baret accompanied him, posing as a man called Jean Baret.
She cut her hair, put on men's clothes and managed to fool the crew for a while. During the voyage, Jeanne Baret made a significant contribution to botanical discoveries.
She collected and identified many exotic plants, some of which bore her name, such as the Baret vine (Boquila trifoliolata). However, her true identity was discovered during a stopover in Tahiti.
Despite this revelation, Jeanne Baret was allowed to stay on board and continue the voyage. The expedition continued across the Pacific, passing through Samoa, the Moluccas and Mauritius. In March 1768, the ship returned to France, and she was honoured for her scientific contribution.
Jeanne Baret and Philibert Commerson continued to work together. However, Commerson died in 1773, and Jeanne Baret found it difficult to gain official recognition for her role in the expedition.
She eventually received a small pension from King Louis XVI in recognition of her services.
Jeanne Baret lived the rest of her life in the Burgundy region of France. She died on 5 August 1807 at the age of 67.
Her contribution as a pioneer in the field of exploration and botany has been recognised more significantly over time, and her story continues to inspire women in science and adventure.
English 
French