Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was born in rural Burgundy in 1873. At twenty, she married Henry Gauthier-Villars, known as "Willy", a critic, journalist and self-promoting man of letters, fourteen years older than herself. Soon immersed in his Parisian literary world, she wrote for him the sensational and highly successful Claudine series of novels. But the pair separated in 1906 and were divorced in 1910.Her writing career continued in spite of much turmoil, including spells as a dancer, mime artist and actor. Among her most renowned works are La vagabonde 191 Chéri (1920), and Gigi (1944).