Jeanne Baret
served as the valet and assistant to French naturalist Philibert Commerson during Louis-Antoine de Bougainville's voyage of circumnavigation, beginning in 1766. Baret was disguised as a man to bypass the French Navy's strict prohibition on women aboard its ships.
Key Details
Identity and Disguise: Jeanne Baret adopted the male name "Jean Baret" (or "Jean Baré") and bound her chest to pass as a man.
Role on the Expedition: She was an expert botanist in her own right, with knowledge of plants for their healing properties. She worked side-by-side with Commerson under grueling conditions, assisting in the collection of over 6,000 plant specimens, including the one that would be named Bougainvillea after the expedition's commander.
Relationship with Commerson: Baret was Commerson's lover and joined his household as a servant and botanical assistant before the voyage began.
Discovery: Her true gender was discovered while the ship was in Tahiti in April 1768.
Legacy: Baret became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. Despite her enormous contributions, she was largely uncredited for centuries, with specimens often only bearing Commerson's name. A new South American plant species (Solanum baretiae) was named in her honor in 2012.
Philibert Commerson’s valet was
Jeanne Baret (also spelled Baré or Barret), who joined the 1766 French circumnavigation expedition led by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville disguised as a man.
Key Facts About Jeanne Baret
Identity and Disguise: Using the name "Jean Baré," she bound her chest and wore loose-fitting clothes to board the HMS Étoile. Women were strictly forbidden on French naval ships at the time.
Scientific Contribution: Although officially a valet and assistant, Baret was an expert botanist. She worked alongside Commerson to collect over 6,000 plant specimens, including the discovery of the Bougainvillea plant in Brazil.
Personal Relationship: Baret was Commerson’s housekeeper and lover before the voyage; she had nursed him through illness and likely planned the disguise with him to ensure she could accompany him as his field assistant.
Discovery: Her true gender was publicly revealed during a stop in Tahiti in 1768. Despite this, she remained with the expedition until she and Commerson eventually stayed behind on the Isle de France (now Mauritius).
Legacy: She is recognized as the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. In 2012, a South American plant species, Solanum baretiae, was finally named in her honor