Exhibition: ‘My Beautiful Cousin’. From the Young lady of Burgundy to the Marquise de Sévigné.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of Madame de Sévigné ( 1626–1696), the Pays d’art et d’histoire de l’Auxois Morvan and the Centre des monuments nationaux invite you to discover a woman far more complex and fascinating than the image of the famous letter-writer might suggest.

Whilst her name immediately brings to mind the letters she wrote to her daughter, Madame de Grignan, the Marquise de Sévigné was also a woman of her time, possessing a remarkable education and renowned for her wit, intelligence and literary talent. A key figure of the Grand Siècle, she frequented the most brilliant salons , rubbed shoulders with the great figures of Louis XIV’s court and established herself as one of the most distinctive voices of her era.

It was only natural to showcase Madame de Sévigné at the Chateau de Bussy-Rabutin. For behind the two iconic figures of the 17^th century—the Marquise and Roger de Bussy-Rabutin—lies a shared family history: that of the Rabutins, one of Burgundy’s oldest and most prestigious families. Cousins, close confidants and masters of the art of conversation, Marie and Roger shared a keen taste for wit,sharp observation and the pleasure of writing. Through their correspondence and life stories, a whole facet of society during the Grand Siècle is revealed.

Through eight thematic sections, the exhibition invites you to discover the many facets of this extraordinary figure: the young lady from Burgundy, the woman of letters, the independent widow, Bussy-Rabutin’s cousin, the literary icon celebrated through the centuries, and the heir to a way of life and a style of writing that continues to captivate us today.

A true immersion into the heart of the 17^th century, allowing you to rediscover Madame de Sévigné in all her richness, modernity and humanity.

It was at the start of the 17th century, in 1615, thanks to Anne of Austria and her Spanish retinue, that chocolate first appeared in France. Under Louis XIV, chocolate really took off thanks to his wife, Marie-Thérèse of Austria, who was absolutely mad about it. 

Nevertheless, it was a fickle fashion that stirred up strong feelings. From one month to the next, it was blamed for every ill and credited with every virtue. Giving rise to opinions that were at times highly contradictory, it had its advocates, who praised its health benefits, and its detractors, who claimed it caused ‘fainting spells’, migraines and other ailments. Many figures at Court actively debated the issue in their correspondence. No one reflected these fluctuations in high-society opinion better than Madame de Sévigné: the shift in her own feelings perfectly illustrates the controversies of her time! 

‘Chocolate stirs the mind and the passions,’ wrote Madame de Rabutin-Chantal, amongst others.

However, to understand the history of Marquise de Sévigné chocolates, we must turn to another author. In 1898, Madame and Monsieur Rouzaud, founders of the Royat chocolate factory near Clermont-Ferrand, were in Vichy. They attended a performance of "Cyrano de Bergerac" and, deeply moved, wanted to meet Edmond Rostand, who was staying atthe Hôtel Sévigné. Through a flight of fancy, Madame Rouzaud decided to name her chocolates ‘Marquise de Sévigné’. 

The story then centres on a man, Auguste Rouzaud, determined to create high-quality chocolates, and a woman, Clémentine Rouzaud, for whom a fine chocolate must be sold like a piece of jewellery, in a box worthy of the finest jewellery sets. The couple soon surrounded themselves with some of the greatest illustrators of their time, such as Alfons Mucha, and the brand expanded internationally. Auguste Rouzaud is reported to have said, ‘I believe I have found the formula for unrivalled craftsmanship, but Madame Clémentine Rouzaud invented the art of selling, and that was far more difficult.’ 

These boxes, some of which were on display at the Chateau ofBussy-Rabutin during the exhibition, are veritable treasures – satin-finished and intricately crafted, inspired in part by the court of the Sun King. Undoubtedly, people bought them as much for the contents as for the packaging… 

Following the death of Mr and Mrs Rouzaud, their son took over the chocolate factory for a time before selling it on. The new owners struggled to manage this legacy and, in turn, sold the brand to the Burrus family, then owners of Schaal chocolates in Strasbourg. 

Today, “Marquise de Sévigné” can still be found in Paris, just a stone’s throw from the Madeleine, in its shop on Rue Tronchet. The brand also has a presence at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. The chocolates are made by Schaal in Geispolsheim, near Strasbourg, using some of the recipes that made “Marquise de Sévigné” so popular, such as the Mirasol – those indulgent chocolate sweets shaped like parasols.