"Let us say to the glory of Alençon that the toffee was accepted with more joy than la Duthé ever showed at a gilt service or a fine equipage offered by the Comte d'Artois."
Balzac, Honoré de. An Old Maid
Catherine Rosalie Gérard (La Duthé), in 1748, was born to win the hearts of many, become the talk of many, and be mocked by many. She was a dancer at the Opéra in Paris and a star of the Champ-de-elysses. She also dabbled with the aristocracy. She had a charming laugh that rang through the halls, and charisma to match it. Famously blond, she spoke with a pleasant ring to her voice which never sounded annoyed.
She developed her own signature when performing on stage, a long pause after delivering lines. She did not do this every time but often. It certainly made an impression on the audience, and perhaps she aimed for a dramatic effect.
After a few performances, however, it led to the assumption that she was not all there, or possibly just could not remember her lines? She took on the role of an assumed goose, and as author Joanna Pitman put it, she was empty headed and could not hold a conversation for anything!
But not everyone was interested in Rosalie's
conversational skills. She was captivating and happened to catch the eye of the duc d'Orléans. In a scandalous instance it is said that he, in one way or another, asked or requested that she might spend some time with his son. The purpose of the rendezvous would be to, "teach him the facts of life."
!
Her greatest catch was Louis XVI's brother, the Comte d'Artois. The affair was short and sweet. The Comte was slightly younger than Rosalie, and married.
And of course, she was not his only fling. The affair heated up sometime in 1775, and Rosalie received gifts and surprises from her generous Comte. He "gave her a house in the
Chaussée d'Antin," and even had the court painter Spaendonck hired to paint her boudoir. Her new place, lavishly decorated, had cost the Comte three months and 80,000 pounds; all well spent on his pretty friend.
All the sparkle of her life led her to go around town flashing wealth and fabulousness to anyone who looked. She called herself a sylph and her motto was:
l'arc et le carquois de l'Amour. Her acting career continued but she was becoming such a topic among gossips, she was soon the main character of a one act play. The play, debuting in Paris, while she was in residence, satirized Rosalie and her stage performances (the long pauses....the silence...etc). It was called
Les Curiosities de la Foire (Curiosities of the Fair).
Three years prior to the Revolution she moved to England living off the generous sums she acquired from her French suitors. When the Revolution began her property in France was confiscated. Around this time in 1792 she sat for a painting where she posed as she had seen a woman do in another painting she owned. The artist, Danloux, chose to place her against a blue background, to him it was the color of blonds. He found the piece
"very handsome, and above all a good likeness of the sitter."
. London: L. Smithers and Co. 
After a few performances, however, it led to the assumption that she was not all there, or possibly just could not remember her lines? She took on the role of an assumed goose, and as author Joanna Pitman put it, she was empty headed and could not hold a conversation for anything!
Her greatest catch was Louis XVI's brother, the Comte d'Artois. The affair was short and sweet. The Comte was slightly younger than Rosalie, and married. And of course, she was not his only fling. The affair heated up sometime in 1775, and Rosalie received gifts and surprises from her generous Comte. He "gave her a house in the Chaussée d'Antin," and even had the court painter Spaendonck hired to paint her boudoir. Her new place, lavishly decorated, had cost the Comte three months and 80,000 pounds; all well spent on his pretty friend.
He fell for women one after another; in one instance he chose a famous actress to pursue, La Grandval. Philippe's mother immediately felt the match was ill made, and complained that the actress was too old for her son's, "young heart." He was swiftly moved to Italy at the request of the King, for some military experience. He would not make it past Lyon without spotting a beautiful lady and subsequently seducing her. He continued en route to Italy, and they wrote to each other until his return. When he came back he found... * a child * ! (may the gossip begin again!) 
Once the rest of the Massionniere's arrived in Paris (a mere 8 days later) they were left with dismay to find that our scandalous regent had already moved on to a tasty comedy actress, and a few days later he moved on again to a lovely dancer with the Opera. That is just the beginning of it. 
Marie Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon-Orléans was the first daughter of Philippe Charles, Duke of Orléans who was the Regent to Louis XV. Her mother was Madame Lucifer, and grandmother was Liselotte. She was born at Versailles on August 20, 1695.
daddy's girl. She disliked her mother, as her father did. When she was only 9 she went on a hunt with her father, and their party noted her spoiled behavior.
quick to spread the worst rumors and gossip throughout Versailles and even Paris. The rumor that the duc d'Orleans and Louise Élisabeth had incestuous relations were talked about the most, a complete scandal to the family.
Sadly her husband did love her, but her progressive actions made the love cool over time. A catty girl, she picked a fight with her sister-in-law the Duchess of Burgundy. The fight cooled the relationship between her husband and his brother. This was fine until the Dauphin died making the Duchess of Burgundy the Dauphine and her husband Dauphin! Louise Élisabeth was totally loathed at court!
knew of her affair!
Elizabeth Charlotte was Marie Antoinette's great grandmother. She was chosen by Louis XIV to marry his brother, the Duc d'Orléans after his first wife passed away. The marriage made her the second lady at the court of Versailles next to the Queen.
sweets, and talking about people at court with people from court, all the while injecting wit into conversation. How did these two get on? Rather well!
outlive her rival, and she took very good care of her health. She would write about how she took care of herself and avoided medical practices of the day she disagreed with, such as bleeding. She viewed French women as sickly, and felt herself much more healthier than they were. Instead she was known to take make walks out doors and avoid medicines.
honour in marrying him; and she is so vain of her own birth and that of her brothers and sisters that she will not hear a word said against them; she will not see any difference between legitimate and illegitimate children"
duc de Chartres
This is when things get fun for me, crazy for Louise-Marie. This was when her brother miraculously began to gain health! So of course the duc d'Orléans backed out of the situation (many were upset at this blatant abandonment of plans). The prince of Condé saw an opportunity arise and made haste to arrange a marriage of Louise-Marie with his son, Louis Joseph de Bourbon (later the prince de Condé).
