Isabelle Massieu

Massieu was born in Paris on 3 April 1844.^[2] She married a lawyer, Jacques Alexandre Octave Massieu, who took her on his trips through Europe and the Middle East.^[2] When she was widowed at the age of 50, Massieu continued to travel.^[2] Starting in 1892, she began to travel to Asia.^[3] She traveled through French Indo-China and British-ruled Burma in 1896.^[4] She released an account of her travels to India in "A Frenchwoman at Ladak."^[5] Massieu became the first French woman to travel to Nepal.^[3] She described her journey in 1908 to Nepal, through India, Bhutan and Sikkim and into Tibet in the book, Népal et pays himalayens.^[3]

Massieu became a Legion of Honor member in 1906.^[2] Massieu died in 1932 and was buried in the Carnot cemetery in Suresnes.^[6] Some of her photographs are part of the collection of the Musée de l'Homme.^[7]