In 1836, after reading some of Balzac’s novels, Madame de Valette wrote to Balzac.  Attracted by her, he went to Guerande where he took his meals at a little hotel kept by the demoiselles Bouniol, mentioned in Beatrix.  Under her guidance he roamed over the country and then wrote Beatrix.  She pretended to him to have been born at Guerande and to have been reared as a paludiere by her godmother, Madame de Lamoignon-Lavalette, whence the reference in the dedication to the former “empire of your name.”  Her real godmother was Marie-Felicite Burgaud.  Balzac did not know that she had been married to the notary Gougeon, and thought that her mother was still living.

When Madame de Valette went to Paris to reside, she was noted for her beauty and eccentric manners; she rode horseback to visit Balzac aux Jardies.  She met a young writer, Edmond Cador, who revealed to Balzac all that she had kept from him.  This deception provoked Balzac and gave rise to an exchange of rather sharp letters, and a long silence followed.  After Balzac’s death she gave Madame Honore de Balzac trouble concerning Beatrix and her correspondence with Balzac, which she claimed.  She died January 14, 1873, at the home of the Baron Larrey whom she had appointed as her residuary legatee.  She is buried in the Pere-Lachaise cemetery, and on her tomb is written Veuve Gougeon.

In her letters to Balzac, given by Spoelberch de Lovenjoul to the French Academy, she addressed him as “My dear beloved treasure,” and signed her name Babouino.  There exists a letter from her to him in which she tells him that she is going to Vannes to visit for a fortnight, after which she will go to Bearn to make the acquaintance of her husband’s people, and asks him to address her under the name of Helene-Marie.[*]

[*] Leon Seche, Les Inspiratrices de Balzac, Helene de Valette, Les
    Annales Romantiques, supposes that this is another falsehood,
    since he could find no record of where any member of the Gougeon
    family had ever lived in Bearn.  Much of his information has been
    secured from Dr. Closmadeuc, who lived at Vannes and who attended
    Madame de Valette in her late years; also, from her adopted
    daughter, Mlle. Le Gallo.

After the death of Madame de Valette, the Baron Larrey, in memory of her relations with Balzac, presented to the city of Tours the corrected proofs of Beatrix, and a portrait of Balzac which he had received from her.

Among Balzac’s numerous Russian friends was Mademoiselle Sophie Kozlowska.  “Sophie is the daughter of Prince Kozlowski, whose marriage was not recognized; you must have heard of that very witty diplomat, who is with Prince Paskevitch in Warsaw."[*]

[*] Lettres a l’Etrangere.  By explaining to Madame Hanska who Sophie
    is, one would not suppose that Balzac met her at Madame Hanska’s
    home, as M. E. Pilon states in his article.