Marguerite Yourcenar (b. Brussels, Belgium, 1903 – d. 1987, Northeast Harbor, United States) was a writer and the first woman elected to the French Academy in 1980. Known for her erudition and philosophical insight, Yourcenar’s literary career was marked by a deep engagement with historical and existential themes. Her distinguished literary legacy and groundbreaking achievements in the French literary establishment have solidified her place as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. The Fondation Marguerite-Yourcenar, placed under the aegis of the Fondation de France, was created in 1982 according to a wish formulated by the writer herself. Responding to this wish, this ecological foundation, recognized as being of general interest, aims to protect wild fauna and flora and has contributed to the creation of a nature reserve in the Monts des Flandre.
