Juliette Drouet, born Julienne Joséphine Gauvain on April 10, 1806, was a French actress whose life became deeply intertwined with the literary history of nineteenth-century France. Though she initially pursued a career on the stage, she ultimately chose to abandon her theatrical aspirations after entering into a relationship with the author Victor Hugo. Becoming his mistress, she transitioned away from public performance to assume a private, yet highly active, role in his life.
In her new capacity, Drouet served as Hugo's secretary and constant traveling companion. Her commitment to him was demonstrated when she accompanied him during his period of exile on the Channel Islands. Beyond her administrative and supportive roles, Drouet was a prolific writer in her own right, composing thousands of letters addressed to Hugo over the course of her lifetime. She remained a central figure in his life until her death on May 11, 1883, leaving behind a vast epistolary record of their enduring connection.