Oh Gigi, why did I wait so long to meet you?
It is many years since I met the wonderful Claudine, and I really should have sought you out back then.
Paris at the turn of the century was always going to be wonderful, but it was the people who made this trip so special.
Your family was marvellous, and I was particularly entranced as I watched your Great Aunt Alicia, a courtesan of the old school, try to mould you in her own image. I shall remember so many of your exchanges with a wry smile.
She only wanted what was best for you but, of course, you grew up in a different world. You were much too bright for that and I always knew that you would follow your own heart.
The greatest pleasure was watching you grow from a schoolgirl into a young woman ready to step into a wonderful future.
I’m only sorry that we had just sixty pages together. They were such beautiful pages, and they just flew by.
So now we much say goodbye, but please know that you will always have a place in my heart and that I wish you happiness always.
Translated by Roger Senhouse
Fleur in her World 
This sounds fabulous!
Yes, fabulous is the word.
I’ve been enjoying Cheri and The Last of Cheri. Gigi (the movie) is here from Netflix. I’m loving Colette this month, too!
Gigi is in my LoveFilm queue and I am hoping to find it in the post before too long.
Fleur, brilliant post!! I’m wondering, too, why I’ve waited so long to read Gigi.
Please don’t wait too long Cate. I am quite sure that you will love her too.
I loved the movie as well. I almost always prefer the book to the film but in this case Minelli’s Gigi edges out the novella by an inch. Love them both to death though. 😀
I really don’t know how I managed to avoid both book and film for so long!
Oh I love gigi – I know the film better that the book. Many a teenage afternoons spent watching it and humming along to it. I’m going to read Vagabond next.
I have The Cat next in the same volume. I read Vagabond with most of Colette’s other writing years ago and i am sorely tempted to start rereading. If only there were more hours in the day!
When we were in Paris on May we walked by Colette’s grave and there were many flowers there. Nice to know fans still care 🙂
I loved your review and this sounds like a great novella!
Oh, what a lovely cover for that book. And it sounds right up my alley. I loved the Claudine books – in fact, I’m tempted to revisit them soon.