Camille du Gast

Camille du Gast Camille Crespin du Gast
Camille du Gast – c. 1900 publicity photograph for a piano recital.
Born	30 May 1868 Paris
Died	April 24, 1942(1942-04-24) (aged 73) Paris
Nationality	French
Other names	l'Amazone la Walkyrie de la Mécanique
Occupation	one of the richest and most accomplished widows in France Sports woman, balloonist, parachutist, motorist, motor-boatist Charity worker, animal welfare worker Made surveys of Morocco for French Government Vice-president of the Ligue Française du Droit des Femmes Only woman official of the Automobile Club de France (A.C.F.) President of the 'Société protectrice des animaux' (SPA)
Known for	Second woman to compete in a 'motor race' International motor-boat racer Concert pianist and singer charitable enterprise for orphans and disadvantaged women crossing Morocco on horse-back accused of being La Femme au Masque

Camille du Gast (Marie Marthe Camille Desinge du Gast, Camille Crespin du Gast, 30 May 1868 – 24 April 1942) was one of a trio of pioneering French female celebrities of the Belle Epoque, together with Hélène de Rothschild (Baroness Hélène van Zuylen) and Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart the (Duchess of Uzès). du Gast was known as "one of the richest and most accomplished widows in France," and as an accomplished sportswoman—a balloonist, parachute jumper, fencer, tobogganist, skier, rifle and pistol shot, horse trainer—as well as a concert pianist and singer. She was the second woman to compete in an international motor race.

In France she later became renowned for her extensive charity work. She was president of the 'Société protectrice des animaux' (SPA, 'French Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals') until her death, and her campaign against bullfighting included disruptive direct action protests. She provided health-care to disadvantaged women and children in Paris, and continued whilst under German occupation in World War II.

Her quixotic character, pugnacity, ambition and daring plus her feminist pioneering meant that she was both admired and detested in equal measure. Her social drive, connections and independent financial status attracted jealousy, misogynist outbursts and gossip. She was the central figure in the Parisian scandal of La Femme au Masque where she was maliciously but mistakenly named as the nude model in a notorious painting by Henri Gervex. This salacious story involved three court cases, and was reported around the world.

Her exuberant social and sporting lifestyle was changed by a traumatic experience around 1910, when her daughter attempted to have her murdered in order to inherit. In the middle of the night, in her own house, she challenged the gang and they fled. Afterwards she devoted herself to French Government work in Morocco, and charitable works with animals, disadvantaged women and orphans.

A pioneer feminist, she served as vice-president of the Ligue Française du Droit des Femmes (The French League for the Rights of Women) after World War I. In 1904 she became the only woman official of the Automobile Club de France (A.C.F.).

She was known in the press by the soubriquets l'Amazone and la Walkyrie de la Mécanique (Valkyrie of the motor car).