EXPLORER

Sophie Blanchard

1778 - 1819

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Sophie Blanchard (French pronunciation: [sɔfi blɑ̃ʃaʁ]; 25 March 1778 – 6 July 1819), commonly referred to as Madame Blanchard, was a French aeronaut and the wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard. Blanchard was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist, and after her husband's death she continued ballooning, making more than 60 ascents. Known throughout Europe for her ballooning exploits, Blanchard entertained Napoleon Bonaparte, who promoted her to the role of "Aeronaut of the Official Festivals", replacing André-Jacques Garnerin. On the restoration of the monarchy in 1814 she performed for Louis XVIII, who named her "Official Aeronaut of the Restoration". Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Sophie Blanchard is the 182nd most popular explorer (up from 186th in 2019), the 2,180th most popular biography from France (up from 2,274th in 2019) and the 18th most popular French Explorer.

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Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Sophie Blanchard ranks 182 out of 498Before her are Carsten Borchgrevink, António de Abreu, Henri Mouhot, Lancelotto Malocello, Edward Wilson, and Constantin François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney. After her are Niccolò de' Conti, Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn, Matthew Flinders, John Marshall, Hanno the Navigator, and James Bruce.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1778, Sophie Blanchard ranks 23Before her are Ugo Foscolo, Honoré V, Prince of Monaco, Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Carl Ludvig Engel, Kittur Chennamma, and Beau Brummell. After her are Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Augustinos Kapodistrias, Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac, Francisco Manuel Blanco, Sigismund von Neukomm, and Joseph Lancaster. Among people deceased in 1819, Sophie Blanchard ranks 15Before her are August von Kotzebue, Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco, Catherine Pavlovna of Russia, Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, Jacques-Nicolas Billaud-Varenne, and Abbé Faria. After her are John Marshall, Erik Acharius, Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Alexander Andreyevich Baranov, Bodawpaya, and Johan David Åkerblad.

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In France

Among people born in France, Sophie Blanchard ranks 2,180 out of 6,770Before her are Jean-Pierre Jarier (1946), Joseph-Marie Vien (1716), Philippe Honoré (1941), Constantin François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney (1757), Walter V, Count of Brienne (1278), and John Frederick, Duke of Württemberg (1582). After her are Marie-Claire Alain (1926), Yannick Noah (1960), Louis Victor, Prince of Carignano (1721), Nicolas Lancret (1690), Pierre Fauchard (1679), and Jo Schlesser (1928).

Among EXPLORERS In France