Who Was Blanche Monnier? French Socialite Locked In Attic For 25 Years

A lost light from 19th-century French socialite society, who mysteriously disappeared from high society for 25 years only to be discovered locked up in the attic of her mother's house in horrific, unfathomable conditions, living in putrid litter, filth from her excrements, and stinks of food remains from family leftovers. Blanche's tragic ordeal spans decades and generations, haunting families until this very day.

Blanche's story is a horrific account of one of history's women who overcame extreme hardship and underwent inexplicable tortures to have a voice and fight for their basic rights. Blanche's story is a tale of a troubled mother-daughter relationship, in which Blanche's choice to love gets in the way of her mother's desire for a suitable boy for her, which leads to the loss of a lifetime to Blanche.

French Socialite Blanche Monnie Locked In Attic For 25 Years

Blanche Monnier, born in 1849 to a wealthy French noble family, was beautiful, wealthy, and socially popular, with aristocratic young men frolicking around her. Despite being considered one of the luckiest girls, she endured a lifetime of punishment.

Monnier was raised in an aristocratic family in the suburbs of Poitiers, with her mother Louise Monnier, a respected matron known for her noble standing and generous contributions to the city, and her brother Marcel Monnier following their father's passing. Louise, the matriarch of the family, was a determined mother who groomed her children for high society. Her son Marcel pursued a career in law, while her daughter Blanche was passionate about literature and a talented pianist, making her a sought-after match for young aristocratic men. However, Blanche had her own aspirations. 

Louise was searching for a suitable boy for her daughter, Blanche. To her horror, Blanche fell in love with a penniless lawyer whom she wished to marry. Louise refused to accept their relationship, thinking the lawyer was "beneath her."Louise, clinging to rigid social expectations, refused to sanction a marriage outside their aristocratic circle. Blanche, however, was strong-willed in her desires, and both women refused to back down.

When Louise realised her daughter, was not going to listen to her, she imprisoned her in a small, dark attic of their house as a punishment, barring her from leaving for 25 years with the help of her son Marcel.

The Heidious Crime

Blanche vanished from society for 25 years, and no one questioned her. There were other fake stories about Blanche living abroad and being institutionalised, but the truth was considerably darker: she was imprisoned in a dismal cell and supposedly never saw the light again.

She subsisted on scraps of her captors' leftovers while living in the filth of her own excrements, meats, and bugs, being held hostage by her own family and preventing them from moving her out of the attic for 25 years in 1875.

Blanche's lover reportedly arrived at her doorstep to inquire about her whereabouts, but he was informed that she had fled without telling anybody. The poor man died in 1885 with no idea what happened to his lover, while Blanche was losing her mental capacity as she was held prisoner in her own home in horrific circumstances.

Busted Truth

It wasn't until 1901 (26 years) that Blanche saw a breakthrough and a glimpse of hope, after spending 25 years trapped in a dark attic with no sunlight, no human interaction, no adequate food or care, and not even a bath! In 1901, the Attorney General of Pottiers received an anonymous letter revealing a horrific act at the Monnier mansion.

The letter read: "Monsieur Attorney General: I have the honour to inform you of an exceptionally serious occurrence. I speak of a spinster who is locked up in Madame Monnier's house, half-starved, and living on a putrid litter for the past twenty-five years—in a word, in her own filth."

The police authorities were suspicious about the letter and were going to toss the tip as a hoax only till one of the police officers remembered how the Monnier family was dismayed when their daughter disappeared, which pushed police officials to take up the information.

When police authorities reached the Monnier mansion, they were earlier refused entry as a servant informed Mamosielle Monnier that she was unwell, but upon firm persuasion, police authorities were invited into the house as they noticed the pungent smell of human faeces and urine filling up the otherwise well-maintained house.

When police officers arrived at the top floor, where the stench was severe, they discovered a window outside an attic with a shutter and heavy drapes. When they entered the attic, they were faced with an indescribable scene of horror. They discovered Blanche, a fragile and malnourished woman in her mid-fifties, lying in her filth. It was Blanche Monnier, who shrieked as they went towards her, hiding and dragging up an old, decaying straw mattress coated in her excrement and other human waste.

Survivor Of A Horrid Crime 

After being rescued from 25 years of imprisonment, Blanche Monnier miraculously survived the torture. However, her mental health was of more concern after enduring years of isolation. Despite finally being free from her attic, Blanche was forever marked by her ordeal and never fully recovered from the physical and psychological trauma.

Blanche spent the rest of her life in a psychiatric hospital in Blois. Sadly, she never regained her former self. She had to be taught basic tasks like using utensils and chamber pots, and even holding a conversation. Despite her mental condition, the staff of the sanitarium described her as very kind and gentle. She struggled until her death on October 13, 1913, at the age of 64, 12 years after her rescue.

Dark Family Secrets and Injustice

Blanche's discovery sent shockwaves across France. As Louise was arrested, an angry crowd gathered in front of her house to condemn her heinous crime. Louise defended herself by saying that Blanche was never in her right headspace and, hence, was locked in the attic. Louise claimed she did everything she could to keep her daughter alive, who refused to wear clothes or even bathe. The court rejected her defence and sentenced her to prison.

However, the punishment Louise faced for her abominable actions was short-lived, as two weeks following her prison sentence, she died of heart failure at the age of 75.  After spending a night in jail, Louise was taken to a hospital because she was very sick from the angry crowd and the bad reputation of the family. Sadly, she didn't live long enough to face the consequences of her actions, passing away just fifteen days later.

Meanwhile, Blanche's older brother, Marcel, who helped their mother commit the terrible crime against Blanche, stuck to his story that he and his mother lived together and Blanche chose to stay in the cell. Marcel only served 15 months in jail, while Blanche suffered for 25 years and never fully recovered from the trauma.