HISTORY: Story Of Blanche Monnier

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By Victor Olubiye



The incredible story of Blanche Monnier is one of the most tragic and astonishing tales you’ll ever hear

Born on March 1, 1849, in Poitiers, France, Blanche came from a respected aristocratic family. Known for her beauty and charming personality, she attracted much attention and numerous suitors from high society, but her family showed no interest in allowing her to marry. When Blanche began receiving letters from admirers, her mother, Louise Monnier, became deeply disturbed and took drastic measures.

For 25 years, Blanche was locked away in a dark room, completely isolated from the outside world. Her mother ensured that no sunlight entered through the windows and that no one ever saw her daughter again. Blanche was forbidden to leave her bed or attend to even the most basic hygiene needs, spending years lying in the same bed where she ate and suffered. The family severed all contact between Blanche and the outside world, telling friends and relatives that she was away at boarding school in England or had settled in Scotland.

The terrible secret was finally uncovered on March 23, 1901, when a prosecutor in Paris received an anonymous letter hinting at a dark family secret hidden behind closed doors. What authorities found was shocking: Blanche, trapped and forgotten, had been imprisoned for a quarter of a century by her own mother. This horrifying case revealed the devastating effects of isolation and cruelty hidden within a seemingly respectable family.

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