Octavie Coudreau
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Marie Octavie Coudreau (''née'' Renard; 1867–1938) was a
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
explorer from
Anais, Charente Anais () is a commune in the Charente department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. Geography Location and access Anais is located 14 km north of Angoulême. It is crossed from north to south by National Highway N10 ...
, and author of several books on French Guiana and northern Brazil. In 1899, the Brazilian states of Pará and Amazonas hired Coudreau to explore and chart the Amazon region. Her husband was the French explorer and geographer Henri Coudreau.


Exploration of the Amazon

At the time of the ''contesté franco-brésilien'' boundary dispute between colonial France and Brazil, Coudreau's husband Henri worked in the service of governors of the states of Brazil, mapping the Amazon's tributaries and identifying possible resources for farmers and foresters. On behalf of the State of Pará, Henri Coudreau was charged with exploring the
Trombetas The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River. Course The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river. It is ...
River, shortly after Octavie married him. Their first expedition in 1899 ended tragically, as detailed in the book ''Voyage au Trombetas'' begun by Henri Coudreau. It describes their voyage up the Trombetas tributary of the north bank of the Amazon. He was already sick and exhausted by the years spent in what he called the "green hell". Suffering from malarial fever, he died in her arms on 10 November 1899. Aided by his traveling companions, she made a coffin from the planks of the boat and prepared a burial on a promontory overlooking Lake Tapagem. After Henri Coudreau's death, she continued the exploration work begun by her husband for seven years. She later wrote the final chapters of the book, following the repatriation of his remains to
Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a communes of France, commune, the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Charente Departments of France, department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern Franc ...
in France. From 1899 to 1906, she worked as an official explorer for the French government, a role not normally open to women at the time. Enduring the same levels of hardship that had eventually killed her husband, she made pioneering contributions to the knowledge of the Amazon tropical area. She died in Sonnac.


Published works

*''Voyage Au Trombetas: 7 Août 1899-25 Novembre 1899'', *''Voyage Au Cuminá: 20 Avril 1900-7 Septembre 1900'' *''Voyage Au Maycur, 5 Juin 1902-12 Janvier, 1903'' *''Voyage Au Rio Curua (1903)''


References


External links


HenriCoudreau.fr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coudreau, Octavie French explorers French geographers Date of birth missing 1867 births 1938 deaths Female explorers Explorers of Amazonia