"Pioneering French mystic， traveler， and author. Born in Saint-Mande （suburb of Paris）. Discovered Eastern religion and philosophy at Musee Guimet in Paris at age 23: 'My vocation was born then and there.' Became a singer with Opera Comique; later turned to journalism. Married briefly in 1894. In East for next 20 years. Met exiled XIIIth Dalai Lama in Darjeeling. In Sikkim meet Lama Yongden， her future traveling companion and adopted son. Went into retreat in Himalayan cave-hermitage; met Tibetan teachers who taught her Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy. Ventured three times into Tibet. Subsequently left for Burma， Sri Lanka， and Japan， accompanied by Yongden; then to Korea， China， and Mongolia.

1925: returned to Europe; subsequently engaged in study and writing at Digne （Haute Province） until death at age 101. 1964: made Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur."