Mademoiselle de la Vallière

Also known as: Louise / Louise Francoise de la Beaume le Blanc · Family: Saint-Remy · Role: maid of honor · First appears: Chapter 1

In 1660, at the Castle of the States, Louise’s connection with Raoul combined a twelve-year friendship with courtship. She tore up an unfinished letter in anger, then resumed an affectionate message recalling their shared past and writing that their hearts had often beaten close together. When Raoul arrived, she became pale and frightened beside her unfinished letter, while Mademoiselle de Montalais was her friend; Louise also feared that Madame de Saint-Remy, her mother, might come upstairs.

By chapter 3 at Blois, Raoul told Louise and Aure de Montalais that the king and court would visit Blois. Louise presented Aure de Montalais as her “excellent friend.” In chapter 4, Raoul explained that chance had brought him together with Louise after he returned from his mission, but Athos renewed his prohibition against seeing her without permission.

By chapter 8, Louise was identified as the daughter of Marquise de la Vallière and the daughter-in-law of M. de Saint-Remy. Louis XIV honored her with praise, and she was described as a Blaisoise rather than a Parisian. In chapter 51, Athos granted Raoul permission to marry Louise.

Relationship record

Life events

• Raoul reveals that the king and court will visit Blois.(Chapter3 · 📍 Blois)
  • With: Raoul Aure de Montalais
  • “Mademoiselle, it is no longer a secret; the king, on his way to Poitiers, will stop at Blois, to visit his royal highness.”
• Raoul revealed that chance had brought him together with Mademoiselle de la Vallière.(Chapter4 · 📍 Blois)
  • With: Raoul
  • “Mademoiselle de la Vallière was there; it was only on my return, after I had performed my mission, that chance brought us together.”
• Comte de la Fere renewed his prohibition against Raoul visiting Mademoiselle de la Vallière.(Chapter4)
  • With: Athos Raoul
  • “I had desired you to avoid Mademoiselle de la Vallière, and not to see her without my permission.”
• Athos grants Raoul permission to marry Mademoiselle de la Vallière.(Chapter51)
  • With: Athos Raoul
  • “Besides, I will not refuse my consent after what you have told me. Marry Mademoiselle de la Vallière, if you like.”
• 1660 · Louise tears up her unfinished letter to Raoul after becoming angry.(Chapter1 · 📍 Castle of the States)
  • “The fair girl at length became quite angry; she tore the sheet of paper on which, in fact, the words ‘Monsieur Raoul’ were written in good characters; and crushing the paper in her trembling hands, she threw it out of the window.”
• 1660 · Louise resumes writing Raoul an affectionate letter recalling their shared past.(Chapter1 · 📍 Castle of the States)
  • With: Raoul
  • “I should have been very unhappy if your entreaties to obtain a remembrance of me had been less warm.”
• 1660 · Louise writes that their hearts often beat close together, revealing her strong attachment to Raoul.(Chapter1 · 📍 Castle of the States)
  • With: Raoul
  • “You often think of me, you say, Monsieur Raoul: I thank you; but that does not surprise me, when I recollect how often our hearts have beaten close to each other.”
• 1660 · Raoul arrives at the castle while Louise is writing, leaving her pale and frightened.(Chapter1 · 📍 Castle of the States)
  • With: Raoul Mademoiselle de Montalais
  • “‘Oh!—Raoul!’ exclaimed Louise, who had made the same movement as her friend, and, becoming pale as death, sunk back beside her unfinished letter.”

Chapter 1

• friends with Mademoiselle de Montalais “Montalais! Montalais!” said she at length, in a voice soft and caressing as a melody, “you laugh too loud—you laugh like a man!”
• parent: Madame de Saint-Remy “what you are afraid of is that Madame de Saint-Remy, your mother, should come up here”
• courtship with Raoul “‘Now, he is a clever lover, upon my word!’ cried Montalais; ‘he arrives just at the proper moment.’”
• friends with Raoul “Besides, what can be more permissible than to write to an old friend of twelve years’ standing, particularly when the letter begins with the words ‘Monsieur Raoul’?”

Chapter 3

• courtship with Raoul (Their mutual love is explicitly referenced.) “She knows all our love.”
• friends with Aure de Montalais “I have the honor to present to you Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais, maid of honor to her royal highness MADAME, and moreover my friend—my excellent friend.”

Chapter 4

• with Raoul (The comte restricts Raoul's association with Vallière.) “I had desired you to avoid Mademoiselle de la Vallière, and not to see her without my permission.”

Chapter 8

• admirer: Louis XIV “The young lady you honor with your praise is not a Parisian, but a Blaisoise.”
• with M. de Saint-Remy (Louise is identified as Saint-Remy's daughter-in-law.) “‘Daughter-in-law,’ continued Madame, ‘of M. de Saint-Remy, my maitre d’hotel, who presided over the confection of that excellent daube truffee which your majesty seemed so much to appreciate.’”

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Extracted from the original text of The Vicomte de Bragelonne. Made with Rho MD.